I Never Forgot You
by Snowlily246
Summary: Her life had always been hard, which was a given since she was a half demon. She was content even though she was always shunned. There had been people who accepted her. Family and a single friend who understood her so much it hurt. Then tragedy struck and she nearly lost it all. Now years later she encounters that friend once more and fights to prove to him she had never forgot him
1. Chapter 1

**I just couldn't resist posting this story. My head is so full of ideas I can't help but write them. I'll make sure I update. It just might take a while since I have these other two stories I'm working on as well.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters except Omega and her family (Example: parents and uncle...)  
**

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Chapter 1

Pain.

That was the only thing that registered in her mind as unimportant at the moment. Pain was nothing to her, she had lived with pain her entire short life, and indeed the last few months had seen her pain grow even greater, to the point she was surprised she was still sane.

But at the same time she wasn't really surprised… she had never been one to let obstacles stop her from living, no matter what form they took, though in the last few years she had been starting to wonder if some higher deity was trying to test her resolve.

A voice that sounded like hers laughed hysterically and said that she should be trying to find some place to hide instead of dwelling on her short miserable life.

_'Not entirely miserable.'_ Omega contracted idly, the faces of her parents, uncle and best friend… her first and only friend… flickering underneath her eyelids. They were beams of light in her mind, reasons to live.

The thunder boomed and snapped above her and Omega coughed as she held her trembling body. Mud squished in between her toes, clung to her legs and coated her arms. The mud on her arms turning reddish as blood mingled with it from her reopening wounds.

Fuzzy blots of light called out to her from behind the heavy curtain of rain and she trudged forward, knowing time was of the essence. **_He_** might already know she was gone and would be sending men to fetch her back… the possible punishments awaiting her should she be caught empowered her will to escape and before she knew it she was in the village.

_'Ah… it seems he's already closing the noose on this town…'_ Omega realized dimly. What she could make out of the houses was downtrodden and had a beaten, tired look to it. Most of them were dark and silent, but she could make out one house with lights on.

_'I'll have to risk it.'_ She decided and headed to the house. More than once she slipped and fell, anyone watching would think every time she fell that she had reached her limit. But no; Omega would stay in the muddy path for a moment and then with grim determination force herself upwards to walk on. The more this happened the more blood seeped from her arms and the more pain twisted in them like a dagger in her belly but as said before, this twelve year old was use to pain. She could endure it.

Omega finally stumbled onto the beaten porch and paused as another cough shook her body. She knocked loudly, half expecting the people inside to ignore the sound, with what she knew of this town she wouldn't blame them.

Some higher deity must have taken pity on her because the door opened, enveloping Omega in a square of light.

"Hello?" The woman asked lowly. She had long dark hair that framed both sides of her face and dark eyes. They gave the impression of a pretty and kind woman. Omega coughed again and the woman's eyes went downward. She gasped.

"Oh God!" She whispered as the girl fell to her knees on the porch. The woman rushed back inside the hall and grabbed a blanket her son had dumped on the floor, she had been about to yell at him for doing that when the knock came, looks like it was a good thing that Inari had once again forgotten about the house rules.

Tsunami, daughter of the master bridge-builder Tazuna, ran onto the porch and wrapped the unresponsive girl in the blanket.

"Father! Inari! I need you both here now!" She screamed as she carried the disturbingly light girl into the house.

"What is it -?" Tazuna's eyes widened as his daughter carried a muddy and bloody girl, a bit older than his grandson, into the living room.

"We need a doctor!" Tsunami said urgently, as she passed him, heading to the guest room.

"Ah, yes, yes! I'll see what I can do!" Tazuna said, rushing for his raincoat.

Inari watched from the doorway as his mother set the girl gently on a futon. Despite her efforts, the girl whimpered in pain.

"Inari get some water!" Tsunami ordered as she started to take in the child's injuries. The boy did as he was told.

The girl's eyes started to open, revealing violet orbs.

"Honey, can you tell me your name?" Tsunami asked.

"…O-omge-omega…" The girl coughed out.

"It's okay Omega, you're safe now. We're going to get you some help." Tsunami soothed.

_'Safe? I wish…'_ Omega thought foggily. But never the less she allowed herself to go under and rest.

She would cherish this calm while it lasted.

* * *

Days passed and blended together into weeks as Omega slowly recovered. It soon became clear to the family that trying to get her to speak about herself when she didn't want to would be pointless. After telling them her name she had told them some other things about herself when they would question her but remained closed mouth on certain subjects. The only woman in the house was convinced that the delicate looking child simply couldn't bear to speak too much about her horrible past.

The wounds on Omega's arms had not really healed. If she strained them too much the bandages covering them from view would become soaked with blood, thankfully though they also never got worse.

After she had been at the house for a month Tazuna left for the Leaf Village to go get shinobi to help his village escape Gato's grasp.

At the moment Omega was hiding out on the roof behind the chimney while the ninja were talking in the house. She had seen them go inside and had opted to stay out of sight for the time being though she listened in on the conversation.

_'I wonder what they're like.'_ She mused. Though no matter what they were like she just hoped they could help Tazuna finish the bridge. As soon as it was completed and Gato's hold broken she planned to leave.

"Omega! Please come down and meet the ninja Father brought with him!" Tsunami's voice called out from the window in Kakashi's room.

"Here goes nothing. Hopefully they won't notice." Omega muttered to herself. She slid down the roof and grabbed its edge with her hands as her body went over the edge. She proceeded to swing herself through the window and into the room, landing gracefully in a crouch.

There were gasps and Omega turned in the direction of their origin and came face to face with the Leaf shinobi.

A man was sitting up in a futon and was obviously the jounin. He had sliver spiked up hair like a scarecrow and wore the standard jounin uniform. However the bottom half of his face was covered by a mask whiles his forehead protector was slanted downward to cover his left eye, this effectively only left his right eye the only visible feature of his face. It was coal black. This was Kakashi Hatake.

Three children Omega's age sat close to him. They all wore Leaf headbands and the girl rightly assumed they were genin.

The only girl in the group had light pink hair held back by her headband and jade green eyes. She wore on a dark red outfit with dark blue tights. Her name was Sakura if she had heard correctly.

The first boy had pale skin and dark blue-black hair. His eyes were coal black and held the look of someone who had seen a lot in his short life, none of it good. That was something Omega could relate to. He wore shorts and a dark top with an open neck. Based on this she could assume he was Sasuke.

The second boy had sunny blonde hair and eyes the color of the sky. He also had whisker marks on both cheeks. He had on a bright orange jumpsuit which was strange considering he was a ninja. His face gave the impression that he smiled a lot. That proved he was Naruto.

All of the shinobi were looking at Omega with undisguised surprise.

"Were you up there the entire time?" The jounin asked.

Omega nodded.

"Well, well, you sure have gotten better since I last saw you." Tazuna said thinking _'At least she's gained some weight. The girl was like a damn skeleton when we found her.'_

_'I didn't even know she was up there.'_ Kakashi Hatake a special jounin of the Leaf Village thought.

"I was also listening to the conversation. So Zabuza is still alive?" Omega said. This made Tsunami look at the girl in surprise.

"Yes." Kakashi said looking at her; he had to admit he was impressed at her deduction skills.

"WHAT!?" Tazuna, Naruto, and Sakura shouted.

Kakashi went on to explain about senbon and how tracker ninja could put someone in a death like state easily.

"Come on aren't you over thinking things?" Tazuna said.

"Encountering suspicion the ninja prepares quickly, hesitation leads to disaster. Every shinobi knows this saying." Kakashi said.

"Sensei you said prepare quickly but how can we do that when you can barely move?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi laughed "I can still train you."

"Hold up! You could barely defeat him even with your Sharingan. We have to be reasonable about this!" Sakura protested.

"Sakura why was I able to defeat Zabuza?" Kakashi said "Because you all helped me, you've grown. Naruto, you've grown the most."

The blonde ninja smiled brightly confirming Omega's guesses.

"So you've noticed Kakashi-sensei! Don't worry, everything's gonna get better. Believe it!" Naruto said.

"I don't believe it and nothing's gonna be good." Inari's voice said. Omega sighed as the little boy rushed to hug his grandfather. Inari was so bitter about the world. An aching but familiar pain in her arms drew her attention and she grimaced.

_'And I'm all out of my medicine. I'm gonna have to go make some more.'_

Omega calmly walked back to the window as Tsunami scold her son, that is until she realized Omega was leaving.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"My arms are hurting more than usual and I'm out of medicine. I'm going to get some herbs to make more." Omega replied easily and jumped out the window without a second thought.

_'This is the most I've heard her talk today.'_ Tsunami thought. The girl had been rather distant today, though it was expected. After all she had had **_that_** dream again last night.

Naruto rushed to the window and looked out.

"Hey! She's gone!" He cried out craning his head back in an attempt to find the strange girl.

"You'll get used to it." Tsunami said as Inari spoke again.

"Mom don't you see? These people are gonna die. Gato and his men will wipe them out!" Inari said, ignoring Omega's departure. He was used to it anyway.

"Listen up! Ya know what a super ninja is? Well that's me only a lot better. Watch! This Gato is no match for a real hero!" Naruto shouted, turning to face Inari.

"There are no such things as real heroes." Inari said flatly and left the room saying he wanted to look at the ocean.

Sakura had to hold Naruto back.

Tsunami looked at the ground in resignation while her father apologized for Inari's behavior.

Naruto marched out of the room angrily.

"Give him time to cool off." Kakashi said when Sakura started to go after him. She nodded and sat back down.

The jounin turned his attention to the Bridge Builder and his daughter.

"I was wondering if I could ask a few questions about Omega." He said.

Tsunami sighed "There's not a whole lot to tell. We found her collapsed on our porch and half-starved to death. She's told us a bit about herself but we could have guessed some of it without her saying anything. What we do know is that Gato wants something from her, something valuable and was keeping her locked up somewhere."

"The bastard tried to use pain to get the information out of her. Those bandages around her arms aren't there because she likes how they look. They cover up her wounds." Tazuna growled.

"She said that her arms were hurting more than usual…" Sakura said hesitantly.

"Yes, the wounds are quite painful but I suppose she's had them long enough that she's use to the pain. They still haven't really healed either –" Tsunami was cut off by her father.

"You mean the wounds still haven't closed!?" Tazuna demanded.

"Well… they have closed somewhat, but they never really finished healing. Omega uses herbs in the forest to make medicine to keep them from getting infected and while they haven't gotten any worst they haven't gotten better either. If she puts too much strain on her arms they start bleeding again." Tsunami admitted.

"Shouldn't you get a doctor to look at them!?" Sakura asked, alarmed.

"Nothing he's done has worked." The woman sighed.

"What about her parents?" Sasuke asked, speaking for the first time.

"Her mother died when she was about six. All we know about her father is that he's looking for her, but unless Gato is overthrown he'll have a hard time finding her. Gato is ruthless; he'll hunt her down for how long it takes to get what he wants." Tazuna said.

"So she's the girl that Zabuza wanted to know the location of?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes. To be honest she needs protection too. Though she won't admit it or doesn't thinks so herself." The old man said.

Kakashi looked at the window the girl had jumped out of.

_'Is it possible that she's…'_

**XXX**

Omega looked at her reflection in the water, a small bag of herbs was beside her and her feet dangled over the water's surface, her toes skimming it and creating ripples.

_'I really haven't changed very much since then.'_ She mused.

Using the water as a mirror she looked at her reflection critically, seeking any differences in her appearance from how she looked like over six years ago.

She had grown taller, and her face had lost the roundness of childhood, becoming thinner and foreshadowing the beauty she would grow up to be, though Omega herself did not realize it yet.

Her hair was white like a fresh snowfall, her eyebrows and eyelashes were also white. Her eyes were violet and skin like pale porcelain. She wore her hair in a low ponytail, she had parted bangs and strands of hair on either side of her face just behind her bangs that framed her face and fell just above her shoulders.

{**A/N: If you've seen Chrono Crusade just picture her as the young Mary Magdalene except for the coloring of her eyes, hair skin, … etc. Its episode 21.**}

Omega wore black shorts that fit snugly on her and a dark gray shirt. It was collared and sleeveless though quite long in length and just like her shorts fitted her snugly. It was long enough to cover the top half of her shorts.

Omega was barefoot except for white wrappings all around her foot to her ankle, her toes were left exposed.

There were more bandages on her person; they were wrapped around her arms starting from her wrists ending just above her elbows, covering up the angry red rectangular scars that refused to properly heal.

Around her neck hung a thick black cord, hanging from the cord was a miniature hourglass. The bottom half was filled with sand while the top half was empty. It was her most prized possession. The hourglass had a capsule like quality to it. The metal on either end of the bulbs of the hourglass was sliver and the top one had a tiny little latch to open it so one could put whatever they wanted in the hourglass to tell time. {**A/N: For example if someone wanted to put something else instead of sand in the hourglass they could open the latch and etc...**}

The sand inside was special; it was infused with her friend's chakra so she always felt that he was with her. Though that didn't mean she didn't worry about him.

_'As soon as I become strong enough, or Papa finds me, I'll head back to Suna and see him.'_ She thought.

Omega had wanted badly to return after escaping the demon that had killed her mother and had tried to kill her. But unfortunately her Inner Fire, something ironically enough she had inherited from her human mother instead of her demon father, had gone out of control because of the trauma brought on by her mother's death. It had taken her years to learn how to control it and when she had finally decided it was safe to return to her friend in the Hidden Sand, that greedy business man Gato had captured her in an effort to get her Tear Gems. She had been his prisoner for a year and had barely managed to escape. As it was her body was still recovering from the torture she had suffered.

If it weren't so dangerous to cross the desert she would have left long ago.

It was dangerous for her because of the lack of shelter. She would always be out in the open for demons to attack. The number of demons in the desert had grown in recent years due to Shukaku. The left over chakra he left behind after fighting was like food for them. They would battle each other almost desperately to absorb the chakra and in doing so gain a little bit of power.

As a half demon Omega herself could feel Shukaku's chakra as well… but she was hoping and praying that Gaara hadn't fallen victim to his Tailed Beast's madness. However she couldn't deny that it was looking more and more that it was the case.

_'What if he hates me?'_ She thought, chewing her lower lip. Omega had sent letters when she could but whenever she checked he had never sent a reply. Maybe he did hate her.

_'I need to think of something else.'_ Omega thought _'I'm getting way too depressed.'_

She grabbed the bag and headed to the Bridge Builder's house. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts she almost missed the genin as they were trained. The half demon looked at them from the bushes. Apparently they were trying to climb trees… without using their hands.

Omega frowned.

_'I can already do that myself and I'm not even a ninja! Why are they just starting to learn?'_ She thought.

"Can I help you?"

Omega whirled around and came face to face with Kakashi. He was on crutches that Tsunami must have given him. Evidently he still couldn't walk under his own power.

"Omega is your name, isn't it?" He asked looking at her.

"Yes…" She answered cautiously.

"That's a unique name. Were you looking at our little training session?" Kakashi said.

"I was just getting the herbs I needed for my medicine and I came across your genin." Omega said.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble. However I would like to talk to you." He said.

A bit nervous Omega said "About what?"

"You."

_'Well that was blunt.'_ Omega thought.

"I know that you have no reason to trust me but I need to know if my suspicions are true. I can't afford to be in the dark about anything in this mission." Kakashi said.

"…You've already guessed it?" Omega asked.

"I've seen others like you and no offense but your chakra's demonic nature is obvious to me." Kakashi said kindly.

Omega sighed "I'm guessing you analyzed my chakra when I used it to disappear after I jumped out of the window."

"I did. I have to say you are the youngest half demon I've seen." Kakashi said "In Hidden Villages like ours there aren't any people like you. But everyone had seen someone like you or knows someone who did at least once in their lives."

"Do they know?" Omega asked, looking at the training genin.

"No, this is the first time they've left the village so they don't really know what to look for but they do know people like you have existed. They've been taught about it in the Ninja Academy."

Omega smiled grimly "Do I even want to know what they've been told about my people?"

"Nothing like what you are thinking, their teacher Iruka is an open minded man." Kakashi said kindly.

"I'll take your word for it, feel free to tell them about me when you want to, I really don't care if you do or don't, by the way… I was wondering… Naruto isn't an ordinary human, is he? At first I thought he might be another half demon and just unaware of his heritage but… he doesn't smell like a half demon. His scent is completely human. His chakra however is another story… I can feel a demonic aura about him." Omega said, looking at Kakashi intently.

"… That information is not mine to give. You'll have to ask him yourself." Kakashi said.

"Okay." Omega complied. Since she had been the friend of a certain someone she had a pretty good idea of what was going on with the blonde. She had just wanted to know if Kakashi would confirm it.

"Are you planning on helping in the fight?" Kakashi asked as the two walked, or in his cause hobbled toward the genin.

"If my help is needed, I shall give it." Omega said "Once Gato is defeated I plan on leaving this village. I was wondering if I could come with you and your team to the Leaf, if that is alright."

Kakashi's only visible eye widen slightly "I don't see a problem with that, but why would you want to leave?"

Omega looked at Naruto as he once again fell from the tree and said quietly "Tazuna and his family have been kind to me despite knowing what I am and I will not forget that, but I do not belong here. Besides I will eventually attract demons to this place. The village has already suffered enough. At least if I am in the Leaf no demon will be foolish enough to attack with so many ninja residing there. It's one of the reasons I try not to speak to Tazuna and his family a lot, its best that we don't get too attached to each other."

"Very well, I understand."

Days passed. The girl, Sakura finished the exercise and was allowed to guard Tazuna as he directed the building of the bridge. Naruto and Sasuke however had yet to master the exercise themselves so they kept outside training all day and only coming inside for food.

Omega kept to the house, and the woods out back, sometimes watching the genin train. She knew her mere presence was setting the villagers off edge and there was the possibility they would hand her over to Gato in exchange for some relief from their suffering if she dared to show her face in town.

At the moment dinner was being served and Omega was glad she had refused the extra food that Tsunami was always offering her. Naruto and Sasuke were eating so fast she could barely make out their respective hands shoving food into their mouths… it was like they were racing each other.

Then dinner ended and Sakura inquired about the torn photo hanging on the wall. Omega stiffened as the family paused.

"It's my husband." Tsunami said, keeping her back to Sakura as she did the dishes.

"They use to call him a hero in this land." Tazuna added.

At those words Inari stood up and left the kitchen, ignoring his mother's pleas.

"Father you can't talk like that in front of Inari you know that!" Tsunami said angrily before hurrying after her son.

There was an awkward pause.

"Tazuna…" Omega asked looking at the older man.

"Why is Inari so… what happened to him?" Sakura asked, staring at the door.

"Is there a story behind this?" Kakashi asked.

"Kaiza wasn't Inari's real father, he came later. But he and my grandson were very close." Tazuna sighed and then looked all the ninja in the eye.

"You deserve to hear this story, back then Inari smiled and laughed all the time… but that ended when Kaiza was murdered."

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**I hope you enjoyed this. R&R!**

**Sign**

_**Snowlily246**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Glad readers are taking interest but I would love to see more reviews. Nothing motivates me to update like reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto series or the characters except Omega.**

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Chapter 2

Omega leaned back in her chair as Tazuna finished the story. All the shinobi were quiet as they processed what the old man had told them.

The half demon's eyes drifted to Naruto, his face scrunched up in thought. She had taken a habit of looking out for him. The girl couldn't help herself… in the years she had spent trying to control her Inner Fire she had ran into other half demons and traveled with them for a while. While with them she had always looked after the younger ones and had ended up developing a strong motherly instinct to everyone in the group. Naruto reminded her of them.

Omega closed her eyes tightly trying to block painful memories. None of those young ones had gotten the chance to grow up and the older half demon children had barely gotten to live…

"I'm gonna prove it to him!" Naruto said suddenly, cutting off Omega's depressing train of thought.

"Prove what?" Sakura asked.

"I'm gonna prove that there are true heroes in this world!" Naruto said determinedly. With that said he stumbled out of the kitchen and into the woods, his body weak from lack of chakra.

As Sakura remarked about Naruto's idiocy Omega got up from her chair and walked after him without a word.

"…Did I miss something?" Sakura asked staring at the half demon's retreating back.

"She's always looking at Naruto or watching over him." Sasuke commented.

"It just means she's concerned about him." Tazuna said "Besides he doesn't seem to mind."

"… Hey Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Yes Sakura?" The Copy Cat Ninja asked.

"I've been wondering about Omega, she's different. Its little things like the way she walks so quietly and how she seems to do things like jump off the roof without any effort or out a window and just disappear. It's like she's had ninja training." Sakura said.

"I might as well tell you now." Kakashi said after a moment.

Tazuna raised an eyebrow "You mean they've been completely in the dark about her identity?"

"People like Omega are rarely if ever born in the Leaf… especially after the Nine Tails attack twelve years ago, there are none now." Kakashi said.

Not liking how he was being ignored Sasuke spoke up "What are you talking about?"

"I'll just come out and say it. Omega is a half demon." Kakashi said bluntly.

There was silence as the two genin digested this new information.

"B-but I thought they died out." Sakura said looking confused and mildly scared.

"Iruka-sensei never specifically said that half demons died out." Sasuke pointed out, taking the news quite well.

"Wait a minute! If she's a half demon why is she here?" Sakura questioned "I thought that people like her hated humans."

"It's the other way around kid." Tazuna said - a defensive tone on Omega's behalf in his voice "Though I wouldn't blame her if she did. Humans have put her through hell and that's not even counting the demons."

"She can't be though!" Sakura objected "If she was one those wounds on her arms would have healed a long time ago!"

"There are… ways to injure and kill demons Sakura. Gato must have used those methods on her to a lesser degree, besides not all half demons have accelerated healing." Kakashi said.

"What kind of methods?" Sasuke asked his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Don't ask questions that you'll regret hearing the answers too." Tazuna advised darkly.

"I'm with Tazuna on this one." Kakashi added.

_'If Sensei doesn't want to talk about it then it must be bad.'_ Sakura thought before something else occurred to her.

"Which parent was the demon, if it's okay that I ask?" The pink haired kunoichi asked.

"Her father was the demon parent." Tazuna grumbled wishing for some sake. This night was becoming filled with bitter topics.

"Didn't you say her father is looking for her?" Kakashi inquired.

"Yeah, I did." Tazuna said flatly "And let me tell you this – if half of the things Omega has told me about him are true you don't want to be anywhere near him when he sees the wounds she's hiding underneath those bandages. He'll probably kill you by accident."

_'By accident?'_ Sakura and Sasuke thought, the first fearfully and the latter a bit intrigued and wary.

"Omega told me his name is Agito." Tazuna added causally.

"Agito?" Kakashi repeated slowly. _'Why does that name sound familiar?'_

"Aren't you scared though? I mean what if her dad comes and thinks the village did that to her?" Sakura said.

"Omega will tell him otherwise, besides the rest of the villagers want as little to do with her as possible. They're quite agitated that my family is sheltering her."

"Is that why the man who quit said something about 'handing her over'?" Sakura asked.

Tazuna scowled "Many of the villagers believe that giving Omega back to Gato will make that rat more merciful toward us but I know better! Once he has her back he'll tighten the noose, the only reason he hasn't now is because he wants Omega in a secure and 'safe' location to keep her from fatal harm. As far as he's concerned she's nothing more but his property."

"How cruel." Sakura said her earlier fear being joined with pity.

"Don't they care about her at all?" Sasuke asked his eyes slightly narrowed. {**A/N: He is a self-proclaimed 'Avenger'**}

"Hah! The mere thought of that is enough to make me laugh!" Tazuna scoffed and then added in a morose tone "As much as I hate to say this… with everything they're going through I doubt they'd hesitate for a second to trade her life for theirs. It's the reason Omega is always in the house or the woods. She can't risk going anywhere else in the village."

"Why don't they come to your house and just take her?" Kakashi demanded.

"Despite everything they still respect me and my family. That respect and now you shinobi keeps them from doing anything like that… for now, it's only a matter of time. A starving man will do anything once his hunger grows strong enough."

**XXX**

Omega swung her feet back and forth, perched on the branch of a nearby tree while Naruto trained.

_'He'll kill himself if he doesn't take a break soon.'_ She thought and with that in mind silently leaped deeper into the forest to get something.

Naruto fell from the tree for the twentieth time, his lungs aching and his body numb. It was nearly pitch black, the only light coming from Tazuna's house and a few pitiful glows from lanterns in the windows of some distant houses.

He tried to get up but his body refused.

_'Maybe I should just lay here for a bit.'_ He thought.

As the orange clad genin rested he squirmed, uncomfortable for some reason.

It took a few minutes for him to realize why.

_'I can't feel Omega staring at me.'_ He thought.

He had hadn't seen a lot of her in the time he had been here but he could always feel her eyes staring at him. It had confused him at first until he had figured out what was behind the stare.

Worry and concern.

Naruto could be quite observant despite popular belief and knew by now that Omega was just looking out for him. Why him of all people he had no idea but the gesture was never the less appreciated. Not a lot of people had ever cared about his well-being. But he still wondered, why him?

"Naruto."

"GAH!" Naruto yelped jumping to his feet spinning around. He lost his balance and fell on his butt.

Chuckling softly Omega smiled gently at him.

"Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you." She said.

"I-I'm fine… just don't sneak up on me like that!" Naruto said his heart racing.

"Okay." Omega said while thinking 'Not a chance.'

"So… why are you here?" Naruto asked.

"It's the middle of the night." Omega said calmly "And your chakra has depleted considerably. I was hoping I could convince you to rest."

"Rest?" Naruto repeated.

"Yes." With that Omega took a rolled up bundle from her back that Naruto hadn't noticed before.

Seeing his confused look she said "I've brought you a sleeping bag."

Not use to being taken care of Naruto watched Omega unroll the sleeping bag with no clue of what to say.

"Why didn't you just try to get me to go back to Tazuna's house?" He finally asked.

"Because I knew you'd argue. So I figured I'd bring you the sleeping bag as a compromise." Omega explained.

"Hey Omega… have you been watching me?" Naruto said.

"Yes, do you want me to stop?" She said with that disarming honesty.

"I wanna know why." Naruto said.

Omega looked at him, her face barely visible in the faint light.

"It's a habit. I… I've been alone and lost many things. I can see that you've been alone too so I just started looking out for you…" She didn't elaborate and got to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked quickly.

"Nowhere, I'm just planning to find a branch to camp out in."

"You sleep in a tree?" Naruto asked finding it weird.

"… I feel safe up there." Omega said softly.

Not knowing what to say to that Naruto looked at the sleeping bag. It was a simple dark gray color and in a decent condition.

"Hey, thanks for –" Naruto said turning around but stopped mid-sentence.

Omega was gone.

**XXX**

The next morning Haku the apprentice of Zabuza the Swordsman found Naruto curled up in a sleeping bag. His face was visible and it was clear that he had been training, having streaks of dirt on his face.

Haku could also sense the presence of another person and regarded Naruto considerably. Here was a chance to reduce the number of his and Zabuza's enemies. The problem was he had no idea who the other person was and what they were capable of. So the boy played it safe.

Reaching over Haku shook Naruto's shoulder.

"Wake up, even if you have a sleeping bag you'll catch a cold of you stay out here." Haku said.

Naruto yawned, and sat up. He took a look at Haku's very girl looking face and a light blush appeared on his cheeks. The impression of Haku being a girl was only strengthened by the pink outfit he was wearing.

Above the two boys, hiding among the branches Omega observed the exchange before deciding to make herself known. She released her hold on the branches and let herself fall, turning in midair so she would land on the balls of her feet.

As expected Naruto cried out when she literally dropped from the sky and landed in front of him and Haku.

"Are you tryin' to give me a heart attack!?" Naruto demanded.

"You're the ninja Naruto. Think of this as training to tell when someone is watching you." Omega said, humor in her eyes.

"That was impressive." Haku commented.

"Thanks." Omega said.

"Forgive me if I sound rude but you wouldn't happen to be the half demon I've been hearing about would you?" Haku inquired, making sure his expression was one of simple curiosity.

Naruto looked at Omega in shock. Ignoring the look the girl regarded Haku for a moment, deciding that it wouldn't matter either way she answered honestly.

"Unless there is another half demon in the area that I don't know about then yes, I am she."

"Why didn't you say anything!?" Naruto demanded.

"You didn't ask and besides I wasn't sure what your reaction would be." Omega responded.

_'So this is the girl Gato wanted us to bring him.'_ Haku thought looking at her. She wore dark clothes, the complete opposite from the white coloring of her skin and hair. Her looks gave the impression she was fragile.

"So what are you doing here?" The half demon inquired.

"I'm gathering herbs." Haku said.

"Need help?"

"Really Omega, why didn't you say anything!?" Naruto grumbled as he picked up an herb Haku needed.

"I already told you." Omega said, putting some herbs in Haku's basket.

"Did you think I'd be scared?" Naruto asked.

Omega paused, her fingers around another herb plant ready to pull it up.

"No, but I couldn't be sure how else you would have reacted. Naruto a lot of people hate me for being born the way I am, they see me as a monster. I didn't want to risk unnecessary conflict. I told Kakashi to tell you if he wanted to since I figured he'd be better at judging if you and the others should know. But I planned to wait until this was all over to tell you if he hadn't already."

"Wait a minute! What did you just say?" Naruto demanded. Haku simply watched content to be an observer… and curious as to what would be said.

"I said that I would have told you –"

"No, no, before that part!" Naruto said looking agitated.

Omega looked at him in confusion before realizing what he was talking about.

"Oh… you mean the 'monster' part?"

"Yeah! I mean what the hell is that about!?" Naruto said.

Omega shrugged.

"Humans hate demons Naruto, they fear them as well. I am half of what they fear so I'm an outcast. The same goes for demons, though they look at me as inferior for having human blood. Things have been even harsher for my people since that day twelve years ago in Konoha."

It didn't take a genius for someone to figure out what she was talking about.

"The day the Nine Tails attacked…" Naruto muttered.

"Yes, no offense Naruto but your village is the last place most of my people would want to be, for your people tend to be the cruelest of them all since that day…" Omega sighed knowing she was going to have a hard time in the Leaf. But half demons tended to be safest in Hidden Villages like Konoha. For the sake of future generations it was time the Hidden Leaf got use to tolerating half demons again.

_'I can relate.'_ Naruto thought looking back on painful childhood memories. Feeling depressed he tried to lighten the mood by commenting to Haku that he started work pretty early. Though he called the boy 'Sis' still under the impression he was a girl.

Omega put some more herbs in Haku's basket while the two boys talked. As she did this one of the birds that flown away earlier landed in front of her, smiling gently she took out some of the bread she had saved from her breakfast and the little brown bird immediately hopped into her free hand so he could reach the food. When he was done he looked by at her expectantly.

"Sorry little one, but that was all the food I had with me today." Omega said. The bird tweeted in a disappointed way but was consoled when the white haired girl petted his head with her finger. Sorely pleased with the attention the bird gently pecked her finger affectionately.

Omega giggled.

"He likes you." Haku commented.

Omega realized that both boys were staring at her.

"I always save a bit of my food to give them so I'll have company when I come here." Omega said.

"Hm." Haku was all said and he got to his feet.

"Thank you for the help, and Naruto you will become strong, very strong. We'll meet again sometime." Haku said walking away.

"Oh, and by the way… I'm a boy." He added, not looking back to see the blonde's reaction though he could clearly hear the half demon's giggles.

"Man I've seen a lot of weird things in my life but this one takes the cake!" Naruto grumbled.

"Hm, I've seen stranger things." Omega said, smiling and liking it. She hadn't smiled this much in a while. The bird chose that moment to fly away and she watched it go.

"Hey."

Omega turned and saw Sasuke heading to them. He gave her a nod and then punched the still shocked Naruto over the head.

"Hey! What was that for!?" The jinchuriki snapped.

"Hey dork did you just forget about breakfast? You're such a loser." The Uchiha said.

Naruto looked surprised for a moment before grinning widely. Sasuke looked away with an annoyed expression. Omega looked between them.

_'Why do I have the feeling neither of them are going back to the house?'_ She thought.

**XXX**

A few hours later Kakashi and Sakura, the latter holding a basket of food, came to the training spot to see what was taking them so long and to bring them something to eat.

"Naruto! Naruto! Ugh, knowing Naruto he could be anywhere by now and Sasuke hasn't come back either I wonder where they are." Sakura said. Then a kunai hit the ground in front of them from above. Both looked up to see Naruto impossibly high in a tree.

"Wow, Naruto can climb that high using his chakra already? That's great." Sakura said a bit impressed. Then she noticed the second figure sitting in a slightly higher branch.

"Omega? Is that you?" She called after a moment still a bit unsure about the girl.

The violet eyed girl nodded, swinging her legs and waved.

"Hey is this high enough for you guys? Omega helped me! She can climb trees using chakra too!" Naruto shouted happily.

"She can?" Sakura repeated, surprised.

"It's not a really a surprise Sakura. Half demons usually learn to use their chakra like shinobi to control any powers they might have." Kakashi said. At that moment Naruto who had jumped to his feet slipped and started losing his balance.

"Naruto!" Sakura gasped.

"Uh oh." Kakashi said.

But Naruto simply stuck his feet to the bottom of the branch, revealing he had conned his team members.

"Ha! Ha! Just kidding! You guys really fell for it!" Naruto laughed. Omega who had been preparing to catch him rolled her eyes.

_'Great, he's a prankster.'_ She thought before saying out loud.

"Why do I feel this is going to back fire on you?"

"Huh?" Naruto said, right before the chakra in his feet faded.

In a flash of white Omega disappeared from her branch and reappeared on Naruto's, grabbing his ankle and saving him. Sasuke landed on the branch next to her and snorted.

"You really are a total loser Naruto." He said before turning to Omega and saying "Your speed is impressive."

Omega nodded in acknowledgement of his words, a small smile on her face.

"Um, Omega… could you pull me up now? I think the blood is rushing to my head..." Naruto muttered looking queasy.

"Oh, I'm sorry Naruto. You're so light I forgot about you for a moment." The half demon apologized.

_'Light?'_ Sasuke thought incredulously.

"Glad you didn't, I really don't wanna die this way." Naruto said as Omega easily pulled him up before Sasuke could offer aid.

"Wow Omega, you're really strong!" Naruto complemented the half demon as he rubbed the ankle she had grabbed to save him.

Omega shrugged modestly and said "One of the perks of having a demon for a dad."

"So you mean all half demons are stronger than humans?" Sasuke questioned.

"It depends on what type of demon they had for a parent and said demon's strength." Omega said thinking Kakashi must have told his other students.

"What about your dad?" Naruto asked.

Omega's eyes grew distant.

"He's very feared and respected in the demon world. Centuries ago it's said he even clashed with a Tailed Beast and defeated him."

Naruto's eyes widened and Sasuke looked at her in shock.

"Despite his strength though, Papa never callously killed anyone. He saw no meaning in slaughtering people – demon or human - and causing unnecessary conflict… He has a cold exterior and comes off as rather stoic and emotionless… but he's a very kind person. I am honored to be his daughter no matter what any of the mortals may say." Omega said, the last part spoken in a whisper before awareness returned to her eyes and she looked down before adding "So in other words, I'm much stronger than the usual half demon but because I'm still very young I have yet to fully master my powers. I tend to restraint my true potential so as not to harm people accidentally or lose control of my powers."

"Why doesn't your father train you? Aren't your demonic powers inherited from him?" Sasuke inquired.

"Plans were made for my training but… then my mother…" And Omega was unable to say more and closed her eyes tightly.

Seeing the pain and grief starting to form in her face Naruto quickly did what he did best.

"Ya don't have to say anything Omega! Hey, Kakashi-sensei and Sakura both brought breakfast I think. Come on, let's go down and eat. I'm gonna need your help." The blonde jinchuriki said.

Accepting the offer to escape her memories Omega nodded and smiled half-hardheartedly "Okay."

Sasuke stood silent, allowing Naruto to comfort her, knowing he would have better success than himself.

_'So she's seen family killed before her as well.'_ The last Uchiha thought and felt himself become a bit compassionate toward the girl.

After the three ate the breakfast Sakura and Kakashi brought them Naruto and Sasuke proceeded to train once again. Omega sat on the grass, watching them, ready to give advice or help if they asked.

Later that night Omega helped Naruto walk through the door into Tazuna's kitchen while Sasuke held it open for them.

"What have you been up to? You look like something the cat dragged in." Tazuna said taking in Naruto and Sasuke dirt streaked faces.

"We did it we made it all the way to the top." Naruto said grinning.

"Good." Kakashi said "Now we move on. Starting tomorrow you're both bodyguards for Tazuna."

Naruto's face lit up.

"Alright!" he cried out, accidentally falling to the ground and taking Omega down with him.

"Naruto you are such a loser." Sasuke said but not in his usual cold way.

Everyone, even Omega laughed loudly. Naruto managing his trademark grin as he laughed too.

Not much later, as Tsunami and Omega cleared the dinner dishes Tazuna asked Kakashi why he stayed even after he found out Tazuna had lied.

The jounin answered by reciting a quote from the First Hokage - about how cowardice could not survive under the wing of a strong leader.

A few moments later Inari stood up, slamming his hands on the table.

"All this stupid training is just a waste of time! Gato's got an army and they'll all destroy you! All this cool these cool things you say – they don't mean anything! No matter what you do the strong always win and the weak always lose!"

Omega stared at Inari in all honesty she was getting tired of his behavior. He was just ranting about the same thing over and over – how the weak died and the strong conquered. She found that belief foolish. After all Omega herself had been weak when her mother had died and still weak when she had managed to survive afterwards. Over time she had gotten stronger but compared too many others she was still weak. The point was… she had been weak but had lived which was something like a miracle since the demon chasing her had been much stronger.

"Speak for yourself. It won't be like that for me, got that?" Naruto grumbled appearing to be fed up with Inari as well.

"Be quite! Just looking at you makes me sick! You don't know anything about this country, you're just butting in! Always laughing and playing around! You don't know what it's like to suffer and be treated like dirt!" Inari shouted tears streaming down his face.

Naruto stiffened and Omega stood up from her seat suddenly seeing red.

"Inari, that is enough." She said. Her voice was low but the anger behind it was as loud as a wave crashing against the rocks.

Inari was startled at her sudden anger but quickly switched gears.

"Don't pretend that you can order me to do anything! You're an outsider too! Everyone in the village hates you! You're probably the reason Gato is being so tough on us lately! So what if he tortured you? That doesn't make your pain anything special! Everyone in this village has suffered! I lost my dad, why don't you do everyone a favor and leave or hand yourself over to Gato!? What's the point of staying anyway? We all know the villagers will come sooner or later to hand you over to him!" Inari ranted his anger and bitterness at its peak as he hit Omega with his misplaced rage.

"INARI!" Tsunami shouted "Apologize at once! How dar -!"

"No Tsunami, don't… don't say anything." Omega said quietly, eyes closed. When she opened them and looked at Inari they were filled with an unidentifiable emotion.

"You think I don't know that Inari? Do you thing I'm naive? I know very well the majority of the village hates me and would love to hand me over. Kill two birds with one stone as they say. Believe it or not this isn't the first time something like has happened. How do you think Gato found out about me in the first place? The village I was spending the night in must have been spying on me because the next morning I was being dragged out of the village and to Gato and his henchmen. And not once did those villagers look at me. Not once did I see a speck of remorse in their eyes for what they were doing. They didn't hesitate for a second to preserve their lives by giving him my own. If anything it was easier for them to do so because they knew I was a half-demon. I lost a year of my life in that hellhole he put me in and when I finally escape it's to a village where once again people hate me and curse my presence. I'm not saying that my pain is greater than the pain of you and your people… but do you honestly think that when push comes to shove they wouldn't do the same? No matter what pain your people are going through nothing justifies their cruelty and selfishness. Now if you excuse me I need to be alone right now."

With that said Omega got up and walked out the door, rejecting Tsunami's pleads to not go.

It was silent and then Naruto spoke looking at Inari with something akin to disgust.

"Look at you, whining and complaining like some sorry little victim. You're nothing but a selfish coward!"

Inari flinched.

"Naruto!" Sakura said loudly but truthfully it was only a halfhearted reprimand.

The blonde left the kitchen to presumably go to his room. Inari sniffed and sobbed.

**XXX**

The next morning all the ninja besides Naruto, who had slept in, were outside Tazuna's house ready to escort Tazuna to the bridge.

"Okay, I leave Naruto in your hands." Kakashi said to Tsunami.

He was no longer on crutches and was walking quite straight.

"He's pushed his body to the limit overdoing it as usual. So he might not be able to move today at all." Kakashi said.

"What about you? You're still recovering too." Tsunami said.

"Why, do I look wobbly to you? I'll be okay." The jonin assured her.

"Come on, let's go." Tazuna said impatiently. He and the ninja started to leave.

"Wait!" Tsunami called after them suddenly and they paused.

"Remember… if you see Omega tell her to come back to the house. Inari didn't mean what he said… he was just –" Tazuna cut his daughter off.

"Don't worry yourself. Omega can take care of herself. She's probably in the forest somewhere to be alone with her thoughts. But I'll tell her if I see her first." Tazuna said in a gruff but caring matter.

Tsunami nodded, her smile strained. Omega had not returned to the house at all last night and it was well into the morning now with still no sign of her.

"Alright, I suppose I do worry too much." She admitted.

"See! Was that so hard to admit? Don't worry, everything will be fine." The old bridge builder said. The he and the ninja departed.

**xxxx**

Omega swung her feet aimlessly in the air, sitting in a high branch of a sturdy tree. Inari's words had hurt more than she was willing to admit though she knew it was just misdirected anger… for the most part.

_'Just breathe Omega, breathe…'_ She thought and enjoyed the feeling of being at peace… somewhat.

_'Dang it! When did I become so cynical?'_ She thought with dismay. Out of habit she picked up the mini hour glass on her necklace and rubbed her fingers over the parts that were glass. Feeling her friend's faint chakra signature emitting from it she relaxed and tighten her hold around the precious keepsake.

"I suppose I should head back. Tsunami must be worried." She muttered reluctantly. The next moment she was leaping through the tree branches.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this. Hope you all R&R!**

**Sign**

_**Snowlily246**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you enjoy. Oh and in response to xXSaSuHiNaXx... yes this an OC story and yes I did get the Tear Gem ability from Yu Yu Hakusho. Also don't worry, I plan to keep updating until it reaches chapter five, then I'll update my other stories and then I'll update this one again and so on.  
**

**Also to Carrie153 - thank you for being my first reviewer. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters from it. I own only Omega.**

* * *

Chapter 3

As Omega got closer to Tazuna's house she began to get suspicious. She started to notice that the lower parts of the trees had deep slashes in their bark and even some had branches that had been sliced away. The girl leaped to the ground to investigate further and soon came across a dead boar in a small pool of its blood. Its legs were still hogged tied and the pitiful thing had numerous scratches on it. The animal's eyes were still open, a glassy black devoid of life but wide with terror.

_'Poor thing.'_ Omega thought as she closed its eyes.

At that moment Naruto dropped to the ground behind her. Omega stiffened and whipped around but relaxed once she saw it was him.

"You noticed it too?" Naruto asked.

Omega nodded and gestured to the boar "The poor thing hasn't been dead long. Someone killed it very recently – look – the blood on the ground is still wet."

"The slashes in the trees are heading to Tazuna's house." Naruto said.

_'That bastard probably wants a hostage.'_ Omega thought before saying "Then we'd better hurry."

Naruto nodded and they leaped back into the tree branches to Tsunami and Inari's aid.

By the time they got there Tsunami was being led out by two men, Inari was nowhere to be seen. Naruto was startled when Omega hissed angrily like a cat.

"H-hey what is it?" Naruto asked. They were hiding in the edges of the woods and had a clear view of the men's faces.

"I know those bastards. They were the ones who helped keep me still while Gato tried to torture what he wanted out of me." Omega said her expression one of disgust and hatred.

Naruto said nothing, unable to come up with a response to that.

The half demon jerked her chin at the man wearing the blue jacket.

"His name is Zori, the other guy is his partner Waraji. They're Gato's personal bodyguards. Samurai." She muttered.

At that moment Inari came out of the house demanding the two men to release his mother. When they refused he ran at them, Tsunami was knocked out to keep her quiet much to Omega's anger and they drew their swords.

_'They're going to kill him.'_ She thought getting up from her crouch.

"Come on! I have a plan, just follow my lead!" Naruto whispered, seeing her nod in acknowledgement he leaped out of hiding.

**xxxx**

Naruto set Tsunami down a few feet away from the samurai apologizing for being late adding though that the hero always arrives late. Inari awoke, slightly dazed on the blonde's shoulder.

"Naruto, is that you?" He asked. The boy's bucket hat had fallen off, revealing his black hair. The genin responded with "Who else?" and preceded to praise Inari for distracting the men long enough for him to get Tsunami away from them.

The samurai got impatient and charged the group, drawing their swords.

"They're coming!" Inari gasped. Naruto simply grinned and threw shuriken at the samurai who easily deflected them.

"Try something else!" Zori shouted.

"Don't have to." Naruto said, still grinning.

"He's mine!" Waraji shouted.

They were so engrossed in their battle they failed to notice the figure that suddenly appeared behind them. With her superior speed Omega knocked out Zori by kicking him in the back of the head before he could notice her. Waraji looked behind him which gave Omega an excellent opening to kick him in the face. They both tumbled to the ground.

Omega grinned rubbing her hands together as she stood over the two men's unconscious bodies.

"That felt great." She sighed happily.

"Omega!" Inari said shocked.

"Are you okay Inari?" Omega asked as she walked up to them.

"Yea…" The boy said and then snapped out of it.

"That was awesome guys! Like real ninja!" Inari shouted acting for the first time since Omega had met him like an eight year old boy.

"Twerp I am a real ninja! That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Naruto laughed. Both boys exploded with heart felt laughter as Omega went to Tsunami's side.

The girl felt the bump on the woman's head from where Zori had hit her. Tsunami would be out for a bit.

"We're gonna have to tie them up." Naruto said looking at the samurai.

Omega immediately got to her feet, smiling sweetly.

"It's okay Naruto. I'll do it." She said walking to the men.

Both of the boys were a bit afraid of the glint in her eyes and simply nodded.

As Omega finished the last knot Naruto sneezed loudly.

"You know, they say you sneeze when someone is talking about you." Inari said. By this time the samurai had awaken but could say nothing because of the cloth tied over their mouths. Omega had also tied the ropes around them to the point it was nearly cutting off the circulation in various places such as their hands and feet. Both of their swords had been thrown into the water.

The half demon smiled at them and said "I hope you're comfortable."

Waraji's eyes narrowed and said something that was probably foul but because of the gag could not be understood.

The sound of Inari's crying drew her attention and she turned to see Naruto patting the boy on the head.

"Darn it I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore!" Inari sobbed.

"What you talking about? You're happy; it's okay to cry when you're happy." Naruto said. His smile was bright.

Omega smiled.

"Go to the bridge Naruto. I'm going to get Tsunami and Inari in the house and lock up Zori and Waraji. When I'm done I'll head over there myself." She said.

Naruto looked at her in surprise before nodding. But before he left he grinned at her and said "Try not to take too long. The fight might be over by the time you get there."

She laughed and said "I'll try."

Tsunami had started to regain consciousness as Omega carried her inside the house. The girl let Inari tend to his mother so she could drag the samurai to the shed. After locking it and making sure it would stay shut she checked on Inari and his mother once more before leaving to aid the Konoha ninja.

**xxxx**

Omega, in the shelter of the mist looked at the Ice Mirror Cage around Sasuke and Naruto with wide eyes. Well this was something new. She watched as the two shinobi tried to get out with no avail. Meanwhile Kakashi and Zabuza were fighting. Sakura stood by Tazuna, guarding him.

_'I guess I'll have to use **that**.'_ Omega thought, seeing no other way. Breathing in deeply she jumped into the air. Thankful for the distraction of the fights she allowed her Inner Fire to break free as she twisted in empty air.

Her Inner Fire came from her chakra though it was possible to use it without chakra Omega was not quite at that level yet. She forced her chakra out of her and it immediately morphed into blue flames outlined in white – its natural state. Omega quickly channeled the flames into and around her legs as she always did.

When the flames were concentrated in and around her legs Omega let herself fall toward the Masked Boy's Ice Mirrors, the flames in her leg helping her to increase her speed.

Haku saw the light of the flames reflect in his Ice Mirrors and looked up.

"What is that?"

Naruto and Sasuke looked up from their crouched positions.

"What now?" The Uchiha said.

Omega once again turned so she was falling feet first. The flames grew in intensity and light.

"Take this!" She shouted and her foot connected with the Ice Mirror at the very top of the prison.

"That voice was Omega's!" Naruto shouted as a sound became audible… the sound of cracking ice. The Ice Mirror shattered and Omega came falling in between the genin and the Haku in the mirror before them. The flames died down, outlining her legs in a slightly faint but very visible light, occasionally flaring out, the flames' white tips brushing the air before dying down again.

"Are you two alright?" Omega asked, coming out of her crouch.

The two boys were too stunned to say anything. Meanwhile outside the Ice Mirrors the others were equally stunned.

"Impossible… nothing can break through Haku's Ice Mirrors!" Zabuza said.

"Apparently you're mistaken." Kakashi said, holding a hand to the wound Zabuza had inflicted on him when he had rushed to protect Sakura and Tazuna.

"Sensei, the person who shouted… it sounded like Omega." Sakura said.

"It was her, I know her voice." Tazuna said.

"Omega huh, she's the half demon brat. Well that explains it. No human could shatter Haku's mirrors so easily. No matter, we came prepared in case she decided to meddle." Zabuza said regaining his composure.

_'I don't like the sound of that.'_ Sakura thought very worried for the girl.

Zabuza laughed before fading back into the cover of the mist, his laughter taunting them.

**xxxx**

"T-that was awesome! You've been holding out on us Omega!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke looked at her, his expression slowly returning to normal… with a faint hope.

"Now we can break the mirrors and get out of here." Sasuke said.

Omega nodded.

"I still want you to watch my back, there's no telling what that guy has up his –" She cut herself off by drawing water from the air and forcing it front of her, slicing the needle aimed at her in two. The two halves fell to the floor with barely a sound.

"Your speed is very impressive." She said to the Mirror Haku in front of them.

"You can control water too!?" Naruto shouted.

"There's no time for that Naruto! First let's focus on getting out of this alive!" Sasuke snapped, the water manipulation giving him more hope.

"Can you try and destroy his mirrors by drawing the water out of them or something?" He asked.

Omega shook her head the corner of her eye on the Haku before them.

"No, my water manipulation is a natural power, it requires no chakra. However the water in the mirrors is being controlled by his chakra so it's not 'normal' water. They are beyond my reach. I'll just have to destroy them by kicking them." She explained.

As the three were talking Haku looked at the girl, his expression behind the mask pained, he had hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't get involved. But now that she had…

Haku fingered the talismans peeking out slightly from his haori for easy reach. Gato had informed them of how they had a painful effect on the girl and how he had tried to use them to force her to cry Tear Gems. He had supplied them with dozens and had promised them a Tear Gem if they could get her for him.

When told how he had tortured the girl using them Haku had been so disgusted the only thing hiding his expression had been the hunter mask he wore. But then again he himself had killed - though only when it could not be avoided it still didn't change the fact that he had – so he supposed he couldn't exactly judge Gato. In any case however Gato's lack of remorse for the harm he had inflicted was vile in and of itself. At least Haku felt remorse for the lives he had taken.

Now he was going to do the same thing Gato had done to her. The thought made bile rise in his mouth.

Haku forced himself to bury his emotions and look for a way to plant one on the girl and the best place to throw it. His eyes lingered on the bandages wrapped around parts of her arms… the places were the talismans had been pressed into her skin by Gato. Logically that would be the best place to throw one. The wounds still being sensitive – it didn't matter how much time had passed – would add that much more pain.

He rolled one of the thin and smaller talismans around a senbon and added it in with a few regular senbon.

_'Forgive me._'

**xxxx**

"Alright, here's what we're going to do. Omega try to smash away the Ice Mirrors so we can escape. Naruto and I will cover you." Sasuke said.

The half demon nodded when a flicker of movement catch her eye.

"Get Down!" She screamed, drawing water toward herself she wield it like a whip and used it to slice the senbon aimed at Naruto and Sasuke in half, because of this she left herself open to an attack.

Almost inhumanly fast Omega felt someone appear behind her.

"I'm sorry." The Masked Boy said confusing Omega but not as much as how familiar his voice was, she had heard it before…

The half demon whipped around, raising her leg to kick at the enemy only for him to dodge much to her surprise. His speed really was impressive.

Her surprise was short lived when she felt the stinging pain of a senbon in her right arm, directly where the bandages were. The Mask Boy jumped away again just as the pain she hoped to never experience again engulfed her right arm.

Omega's screams echoed through the mist drawing the attention of the others.

"Omega!" Tazuna shouted walking forward but Sakura held onto his arm.

"It's too dangerous, you have to stay here." She said.

_'I have to finish this now.'_ Kakashi thought as Zabuza calmly adjusted his grip on his sword.

"It seems like she forced Haku's hand." He remarked.

**xxxx**

"Hey! What's happening to her!?" Naruto shouted. He and Sasuke were forced to keep their distance because the flames had jumped forward, engulfing her body in response to her pain in an effort to protect her. The girl was curled in a fetal position, holding her bleeding arm.

"How am I supposed to know?" the Uchiha shot back. Unbeknownst to them Omega heard their voices and forced the flames back into inside her body, knowing she couldn't risk using them at the moment.

As soon as the flames died down Naruto ran to her, turning her over to see what was hurting her.

"Get her hand off her arm." Sasuke ordered, seeing that most of the blood was running through her fingers. Naruto did so, managing to pry her hand off with some difficulty, and saw a senbon but with some type of thin paper wrapped around it. It was obvious that paper was what was causing her pain; he could actually hear it crackling where it came into contact with Omega's skin.

Cautiously Naruto took the tip of the senbon sticking out of her arm and was surprised when it didn't hurt him. He easily pulled it out and immediately her screams turned into faint whimpers. Blood soaked the bandages on her right arm and there was no denying she was pain.

"She won't be able to fight, at least not now." Sasuke said "We're back to square one."

"N-no, I can f-fight." Omega said, biting her lip and forcing herself to sit up, still clutching her arm.

"You're still able to stand after that? Your pain tolerance is high." Haku commented.

"Just what the hell was that?" Naruto shouted.

"They're talismans made specifically to fight against Ice Demons. Since her father was once she is also vulnerable to them. Not many know about them however." Haku responded.

"If not many know about them then how did you find out?" Sasuke demanded.

Before Haku could answer Omega did.

"How else, Gato probably told him and Zabuza. It's no surprise; Gato would often use the talismans to try to force me to cry." Omega said laughing without humor.

"Cry?" Naruto asked.

"There is a race of Ice Demons whose tears become invaluable gems. However they only cry once in their lifetime, because of that the gems are worth a great deal." Haku said simply.

"So Gato kidnapped her to get those gems." Sasuke said putting the pieces together, his expression one of disgust.

"Yes." Omega said getting to her feet, though a bit shaky "Problem was no matter what tortures he put me through I would never cry. In the entire year he held me captive he never got a single Tear Gem."

"Omega, if you refuse to stand down I will be forced to use those talismans again. This is your last chance; do not get involved in this fight." Haku said.

"So you can hand me over to Gato? No thanks, I'd rather die." Omega said coolly. The next moment senbon were raining down on the three children. At first the half demon managed to dodge but the Masked Boy kept aiming for her arms, partially her right, and soon she getting hit as much as Sasuke and Naruto.

The jinchuriki eventually fell to the ground unable to get up and it was taking everything Omega had to stay standing. The senbon were taking effect and she was having a hard time focusing her mind… and there were the wounds on her arms, being irritated and abused. Goodness knows she was use to the pain in her arms, something that would never leave her, but this was pushing it. And that was not even considering the blood she was losing. Things were looking bad.

It was clear that Sasuke was at his limit too.

Omega looked at the Ice Mirrors.

_'I could try breaking the Ice Mirrors again, but I'm far slower than before thanks to the talismans and senbon. Chances are he'll strike me down before I can break it. Not to mention that in my current state I might not be able to control the flames effectively. Darn it! If the mirror I had broken wasn't at the top then we would have better odds. I need to think of something.'_ She thought.

Then Sasuke awakened his Sharingan.

Omega had heard of it from her uncle. It was a blood limit that allowed the user to read and predict his enemy's moves. Very useful and much needed in their current situation.

She looked at the Masked Boy and knew he was analyzing the situation.

"Sasuke, I think –" Omega never finished her sentence for at that moment the Masked Boy rushed out of the mirror and she felt herself being thrown into another Ice Mirror. She could vaguely hear Sasuke's shouting and the faint cracking of ice. The girl fell face first onto the floor, dazed and groaning slightly for the impacts had drove the senbon deeper into her body.

After a moment she raised herself using her hands and looked for the two genin, seeing Sasuke fall into Naruto's arms as his body gave up.

She forced herself to her feet and stumbled to where the two boys were and collapsed beside Naruto. Omega could feel blood on leaking from her mouth, dripping down her chin.

Sasuke mentioned his brother, the man responsible for the annihilation of the Uchiha Clan and how he had promised himself he'd stay alive… at least until he killed him. He told Naruto not to let his own dream die before fading away.

Omega closed her eyes tightly, this was not the first time she had watched someone die but it did not make it any easier. She watched as Naruto hugged his fallen teammate close to him and said nothing.

There was nothing that could be said.

The Masked Boy praised Sasuke as a ninja… and asked Naruto if this was the first time he had watched a friend die when he did not respond.

Omega ran a hand over her eyes wearily thinking _'Please just shut up.'_

"Shut up." Naruto said quietly voicing her thought, he put Sasuke on the ground and added "I – I hated you too Sasuke and yet…"

Omega felt the hairs on the back of her neck stiffen as the air around Naruto started to change.

"You'll pay for this." The blonde said as red chakra formed and swirled around him. Omega scooted away, an arm over nose and mouth as the head of the Nine Tails formed out of the chakra above them before roaring and disbursing.

_'He's Lord **Kurama's** jinchuriki?!'_ She thought horrified, out of all the Tailed Beast why did it have to be Kurama? This was bad. Seeing Naruto's eyes turn red and the senbon being pushed out of his body she turned to the Masked Boy in the mirror before her.

"RUN YOU FOOL! YOU'RE NO MATCH FOR HIM!" She shouted as 'Naruto' looked at him and with a gurgled growl zoomed in on his target on all fours.

Too late.

Omega threw herself over Sasuke's body to shield it as the fight broke out.

The Masked Boy was no match for Naruto's rage fueled attacks.

Only when the sound of breaking ice became audible did she lift her head. She was just in time to see Naruto pulling back his fist for the finishing blow as the mask fell from the enemy's face in broken chunks.

_'Him?'_ Omega thought. It was the boy in the forest. Naruto also recognized him and the shock was enough to pull him back to his senses, the punch stopped just an inch away from the boy's face.

"That guy in the forest? That was you!" Naruto said.

"Why do you not finish me? Did you not just vow to avenge your comrade's death? Or was that vow just empty words?" The boy said dully, his eyes blank.

Omega left Sasuke were he was, knowing he'd be fine and approached the two boys cautiously, as she did Naruto angrily punched the boy in response to his words.

The boy didn't even fight back; he got to his feet and told Naruto that he must try harder if he wanted to kill him.

Omega looked at the boy blankly and said "Why do you seek death so much? What's your name?"

The boy looked at her and said "My name is Haku, and as to why I seek death it is because I am now a broken tool, no use to anyone. No use to Zabuza."

Omega frowned "Just because you lost one battle it does not make you useless Haku."

"To some that may be true but that is not how I see it. It's not how Zabuza will see it." Haku said.

"Zabuza? That guy who doesn't know the meaning of the word honor? If he's really the only person who matters to you then that's the sorriest think I ever heard!" Naruto shouted angry and confused.

"There were once other people who mattered to me… my father and my mother. I was born in a village in the Land of Water were the snow lies deep in the winter. My parents were farmers and very poor. Our life was hard but we were content. My parents were good to each other and kind to me, yes we were happy once, but then everything changed." Haku said.

He proceeded to explain that in the past his home had suffered years of civil war. When these wars were over the people had come to hate and fear anyone with a kekkei genkai - a unique blood trait passed down from generation to generation – because they feared the clans would only bring more war. So after the wars the clans went into hiding knowing they'd be killed if they were discovered. Haku's mother had been one of them.

She had been successful in hiding it for years, and then she had met and fell in love with a farmer who she later married, soon after Haku had been born. And so the woman had thought she'd live a simple happy life, something she had worked so hard for... but she had forgotten one thing.

Haku.

Being her son he had inherited her kekkei genkai and was naïve to the hatred and fear surrounding it. When she discovered him manipulating water she had slapped him in fear that it would ruin the happiness she had work for. She immediately apologized however and stressed to son that must never ever do that again. But the damaged had been done. Haku's father had seen.

He assembled a mob, killed his wife and attempted to kill his son who activated his blood limit to defend himself, killing the mob and his father in self-defense.

"When I was at last myself I was no longer myself. My parents were gone but something else had taken from me, something far more important." Haku said.

"More important than your mother and father, what was it?" Naruto asked while Omega listen feeling bitter. The man's fear had been greater than his love for his family. He had been a coward unable to think for himself.

"My purpose, in the entire world there was no one who needed me. I was… unnecessary." Haku said.

Naruto's shocked face was an open book and Omega felt her heart ache with sadness.

"Why do you want to become Hokage? It's because you want all eyes on you and for people to recognize you as a great ninja. It is only in the eyes of others that our lives have any value. When no one will speak to you or look at you it's as if you don't exist. Then Zabuza found me and he did not shun me for my strangeness. Indeed my special powers were just what he wanted. He made me necessary again."

Then he walked forward and pleaded with Naruto to kill him, for both their sakes. Omega stood to side watching. Haku was asking Naruto to kill him not her. She had no part in this… it was up to Naruto keep his vow or not.

So when Naruto took out a kunai and ran forward to end Haku's life Omega simply watched. So she noticed when Haku's eyes widened right before he grabbed the blonde arm stopping what would have been a killing blow.

"Sorry Naruto change of plan, I'm not ready to die quite yet." Haku said before performing hand signs with his free hand and disappearing.

"What was that!?" Naruto shouted as he stumbled.

"It must have been Zabuza. Kakashi probably has him cornered and Haku went to save him." Omega said. As she finished a shock wave pushed them back coming from where the fighting jonin were.

"We'd better check it out." Omega said. Naruto nodded looking at Sasuke's body for a moment before following.

The fog was lifting and they soon saw what had happened.

Haku was in between Kakashi and Zabuza, his front splattered with blood holding tightly onto Kakashi's wrist to keep him from getting away.

"The boy threw himself in front of my attack. He saved your worthless life at the cost of his own." Kakashi said coldly.

Zabuza started to laugh and praised Haku for saving his life and giving him Kakashi's as well, raising his sword.

"He's seriously going to cut through Haku just to get to Kakashi?" Omega whispered.

Kakashi grabbed Haku's body and took it with him when he dodged.

"Not bad for having a corpse in your arms!" Zabuza laughed.

"You'll pay for that!" Naruto shouted angrily while Omega hissed "Bastard." under her breath.

"Stop Naruto!" Kakashi ordered. He laid Haku on the floor and closed the boy's eyes.

"Zabuza is mine." Kakashi said.

It was tense for a few moments before Sakura noticed Naruto and Omega.

"Hey are you guys alright? Where's Sasuke?" She called out.

Naruto couldn't look her in the eye while Omega looked at the pinkette and shook her head.

"No…" Sakura whispered. Tazuna offered to take her to Sasuke and she accepted, they ran past Naruto and Omega as Kakashi battled Zabuza.

Soon Sakura's sobs could be heard and Naruto grasped the fabric his shirt over where his heart would be. Omega looked at him sadly but no tears left her eyes. Partly because of what she had endured from Gato and partly because she had seen too much death to cry… she just felt numb.

Meanwhile Kakashi had disabled one of Zabuza's arms leaving him with only one good arm, the one hanging onto his sword.

_'Zabuza isn't able to keep up with Kakashi… could it be because of Haku's death?'_ Omega thought.

It took the leaf jonin little effort to disable Zabuza's other arm. The missing nin's sword fell from his grasp and skidded across the floor.

Kakashi asked him what he planned to do next; his opponent just stared at him hatefully.

Then a voice belonging to the man Omega resented almost more than anyone else spoke up behind them.

"Did quite a job on you, didn't he Zabuza? You look like yesterday's shashimi. I must say I'm disappointed."

Her body shook with anger and fear though she hated to admit the latter, the senbon still sticking out of her quivered. Naruto noticed became concerned.

"Hey, Omega… are you okay?" He asked.

"That man in the business suit is Gato." Omega said, her body still trembling, her eyes filled with resentment and fear.

Naruto watched as the short man tell Zabuza that he was going to die but if he could take out a few of the thugs he had brought with him he'd he okay with that too.

Zabuza didn't look too surprised and told Kakashi that his fight with them was over. Since Gato had fired him he had no reason to kill Tazuna.

Omega noticed the cast on Gato's arm and secretly thanked whatever had caused it.

Then Gato walked forward to Haku's body, revealing he had broken his arm and did something appalling.

He kicked Haku's body.

Kakashi had to hold Naruto back, but could not do the same for Omega.

Blue flames shot through the air aimed at Gato. The coward stumbled back, the flames a hairsbreadth away from his face.

"You filthy little coward, and here I thought I had seen all of your disgusting traits. How dare you do something so disrespectful? Even the dead aren't safe from you." Omega growled lowly. The flame she had managed to call dissolved and the flame whip vanished. The action left her reeling but her anger kept her grounded.

Gato looked at the girl whose life he had made a living hell for the past year and smirked. Even in her rage he could tell his was still afraid of him.

"Omega my dear, it's good to see you. You haven't changed much. Still pushing the boundaries, I really must remind you of your place when you return to the tower… and well as punish you for running away." He said getting to his feet and waving back some of the thugs that had come forward to attack.

"I am not your property! You don't own me and I am not your Gem Factory!" Omega shouted. Her grip on her wounded arm tightened though and more blood squeezed out between her fingers.

Seeing the terror in her eyes Naruto glared at the man and shouted "Leave her alone! You've done enough to her!"

"Shut up brat. I found her; I discovered her gift and I'm putting it to good use. She could be living like a princess selling a handful of those gems but no, she tries to keep it concealed. That gift is wasted on her, so as far as I am concerned it might as well belong to me!" Gato sneered.

Naruto growled angrily before turning to Zabuza demanding if he was just going to let Haku be treated like a dog. When the missing nin said that Haku meant nothing to him Kakashi tried to reel Naruto in when it became clear he was losing his temper.

His attempt failed.

"Shut up as far as I'm concerned he's enemy number one! You ungrateful… Haku lived for you! You were everything for him and you're telling me he meant nothing to you, nothing at all!? Well he was sacrificing everything for you; you never felt anything at all for him?! And if I become strong does that mean I'll become as cold-hearted as you are? Haku threw his life away, and for what, for you and your dream? You never let him have a dream of his own but he didn't care and you just tossed him aside like he was nothing." Naruto was crying by now "A broken tool, man that's wrong… so wrong!"

Omega looked at Naruto moved by his words.

"You talk too much." Zabuza said finally but Omega saw dark spots on the floor in front of him.

Zabuza was crying.

"Your words cut deep, deeper than any blade. While he fought you his heart was breaking in two. You see Haku was always too soft and too kind. He felt pain and sorrow and now curse him I feel them too, and something else. I feel contempt that this is the way it ends." Zabuza then used his mouth to undo the bandages covering the bottom half of his face.

"Well cat got your tongue? Are you surprised to find that I'm human? All shinobi are human, no matter how much we try to deny it we always fail. Or at least I have failed."

It was silent again but only for a second, then Zabuza demanded Naruto had over a kunai. Omega nodded encouragingly at the blonde who then pulled one out and tossed it to the missing-nin who easily caught it with his teeth.

Then he charged.

Gato being the coward he was didn't waste time running into the crowd of hired thugs for protection. It did no good. Even though Zabuza was stabbed multiple times and had weapons sticking out of him he kept running until he got to Gato and attacked him, mortally wounding him and sending him into the river. Zabuza collapsed.

Omega looked at his fallen form with sorrow and respect. He may not have been the best human she had met but he was still okay in her mind. The moment lightened when Sakura shouted that Sasuke was alive and indeed when Omega and Naruto turned they saw the Uchiha was slowly getting to his feet.

Remembering what Zabuza had said about Haku she looked at his body and thought _'Thank you.'_

However a moment later a new problem came up. The crowd of thugs wanted payment and they were determined to get it.

"We'll just have to take the girl and see what that village has for us!" The 'leader' said. The other thugs roared in agreement.

Omega groaned out loud and said "Why couldn't they have forgotten about me? I can't ever get a break!"

"This isn't good." Kakashi said.

"Come on Sensei! You must have a jutsu that can take care of these losers." Naruto said.

"Not right now. I used too much chakra in the fight." He responded.

Just as Omega was convinced they were all screwed an arrow pierced the ground before the thugs and they came to a stop in surprise.

It was the villagers led by Inari and his mother.

All it took were a few shadow clones from Naruto and Kakashi to send the already scared thugs running.

As the villagers cheered for their victory Kakashi walked to Zabuza who was still alive. A moment later everyone watched as Kakashi carried the Demon of the Mist to Haku's side.

He spoke a few words to Haku before peacefully fading away, as he did it began to snow much to the astonishment of the villagers.

Naruto was crying and said "He told me where he came from it was snowing all the time."

"Of course, his spirit was as pure as the snow, you never know Zabuza. You might join him there. Who's to say?" Kakashi said.

Omega smiled and said quietly "Farewell."

Sometime later Omega was putting flowers on the graves of Zabuza and Haku. She turned around and saw Team Seven approaching; she smiled as she noticed the flowers Sakura was carrying.

Omega listened idly as they talked about the purpose of shinobi and smiled when Naruto said he'd follow his own ninja way - the way of Naruto.

Tazuna and his family privately bided Omega good bye the night before she left making her promise to visit when she could and saying they'd tell her father where she'd gone if he passed by.

Omega appreciated it. The villagers didn't glare at her as much but they still found her presence in their home undesirable. She didn't want the memory of such a meaningful good bye to the family who had sheltered her to be paired with the stiff and unaccepting faces of their people.

Said people's faces thankfully were a bit warmer the day of her departure since she was leaving with the people who had saved their village. Inari waved good bye crying as Naruto did the same.

Omega watched the genin do their usual routine of Sakura asking Sasuke out, being rejected, then Naruto telling Sakura he'd go out with her only to be pummeled by said pinkette for 'listening in on a private conversation'.

"I think this is going to be an interesting experience." Omega said out loud.

"Probably, we'll take you to Lord Third and he will decide if you can stay. There will probably be some condition however to please the council." Kakashi said.

The half demon shrugged.

"As long as it's not something stupid I'll do it." She said.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it please REVIEW!**

**Sign**

** _Snowlily246_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters. I own only Omega.**

* * *

Chapter 4

The journey back to the Hidden Leaf was… mostly uneventful. A lower class demon had stumbled upon Omega's scent and attacked them. The half demon dealt with him swiftly when he refused to leave.

As Omega walked away from the dissolving demon's body she let her Inner Fire return to its chakra state inside her body thus making the Fire glow around her legs dissipate.

Sakura seemed to be alright, she was still a bit in shock but was taking deep breaths to try and keep her head.

Sasuke was staring at the demon's disappearing body with an unreadable expression.

Naruto was saying illegible words as he talked rapidly.

Kakashi was the most composed of the humans… though he was clearly unnerved.

"Well, I can't say I've experienced this before." The jonin said lightly. Omega looked at him and his team with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry; I should have dealt with him elsewhere, but I didn't want to risk attracting others." She said as the demon's body completely disappeared.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CAUSAL ABOUT THIS!?" Sakura shouted "THAT THING WAS TRYING TO KILL YOU!"

Omega stared at Sakura and said bluntly "Something is always trying to kill me. It's a waste of time being afraid."

Sakura stared at the girl open mouthed.

Omega looked around and added "We should keep moving… unless you want to risk running into one of his clansmen…"

She had barely finished speaking when Sakura was dragging her teammates behind her and calling for her sensei and Omega to hurry up.

**xxxx**

Omega was impressed when they entered Konoha's gates. The guards on duty had been surprised to see her; they let her pass after Kakashi said some words to them. One guard had looked at her with a face that clearly said "Be careful." Which wasn't exactly encouraging, well at least he had meant it as a friendly warning rather than a threat.

"It's pretty." Omega remarked as the group walked through the crowd.

"Glad you think so." Kakashi said.

"So how long are you planning on staying?" Sakura asked.

Omega shrugged "I'm not sure. At least until Papa finds me."

"Don't you have any other family?" Sasuke asked.

The half demon's face darkened and Kakashi remembered something Tazuna had told him.

**Flashback:**

_"Whatever you do you must not mention two things in front of her." The old man said the night before the ninja were to leave. They were alone in the kitchen._

_"And what would that be?" Kakashi asked looking up from his perverted orange covered book._

_"Her uncle and anything to do with gambling."_

_"Why?"_

_"She tends to get... riled up by him. They have a complicated relationship, just try not to mention him."_

**End Flashback**

_'Well too late for that.'_ The jonin thought.

"My mother Momo, had a younger brother called Akira. He visited from time to time and was nice but… he has a fatal flaw."

"What was that?" Naruto asked not sensing the danger.

Omega growled and snapped "HE NEVER PAID FOR ANYTHING! HE LEFT DEBTS ALL OVER THE ELEMENTAL NATIONS AND TRICKED OTHERS INTO PAYING THEM!"

Naruto and Sakura jumped back while Sasuke eyed her warily.

The girl had balled one hand into a fist; her eyes were filled with anger and indignation "Sometimes strangers would come to the door saying he had directed them to my mother to seek payment! After she died he found me some time later wandering around. He offered to teach me better control over my Inner Fire and I accepted! What I fool I was! The majority of the time I spent with him was working odd jobs to pay off his debts! I learned how to play cards and gamble so I could pay them faster but once he figured out I was bringing in more money than he was spending he went over the edge! Soon he was spending money like he was a millionaire and I was forced to pay!"

Naruto looked at her and thought _'I shouldn't have asked.'_

"Now, now Omega you're causing a scene." Kakashi said thinking _'So this is why Tazuna warned me.'_

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said snapping out of it and getting to her feet. The genin breathed a sigh of relief when she suddenly looked at them with that dark expression again and they stiffened.

"One piece of advice, if you meet my uncle and he finds out you all know me he'll try to trick you into paying for things or ask you for some money using some sob story. So no matter what you must tell him you have no money on you. Even if he cries or pleads or complements you never tell him that you have money on you. He cannot be trusted."

"Understood." Sakura whispered. Her teammates nodded quickly. Omega smiled in satisfaction and relief.

"Good, sorry if I scared you, Uncle Akira always brings out the worst in me." She said, brushing stray hair from her eyes and shifting the strap of her duffel bag.

"Well… if he's like what you just said than I can understand why." Naruto said, scratching the back of his head.

"Yes, but he did teach me like he promised. He does have his good points." She admitted grudgingly "Though most of the time it seems he doesn't have any."

They came up to the Tower and Omega felt a shiver run down her spine. It faintly resembled the smaller tower Gato had imprisoned her in.

The chunin looked at her with mistrust and dislike when they saw her walking up to them with Team Seven. Used to it Omega simply pretended she didn't notice and tried to ease her nerves.

"We're here to report to Lord Third." Kakashi said, pretending to ignore the guard's obvious silent dislike of the girl.

"Why have you brought a non-ninja to the Tower?" The chunin to the right asked.

"Her name is Omega and she is here to request permission to stay in the Hidden Leaf." Kakashi said, deciding it was best to just be honest.

"And you… are alright with this?" The chunin asked.

"I did bring her here didn't I? Now may we pass, we would like to report to Lord Hokage as soon as possible."

The chunin shifted and grudgingly allowed them to pass.

Sakura was looking at Omega out of the corner of her eye but couldn't see anything in the half demon's expression to indicate she was upset with the attitude of the chunin.

Naruto was surprised with what had happened outside. The chunin hadn't even looked at him, as soon as they had caught sight of Omega the glares he usually received were immediately aimed at her.

Sasuke silently sighed. He hoped they wouldn't have to deal any more foolishness toward Omega that would delay them reporting to the Third.

Eventually they came to the Hokage's door and were let inside.

Omega straightened a bit, though she kept her eyes on Kakashi's back as she followed him inside.

"Team Seven, welcome back." An elderly voice greeted.

"Lord Hokage." Kakashi said respectfully.

"Hey old man!" Naruto said causally. Sakura rolled her eyes at his informality.

"Naruto." Lord Hokage said with an amused tone. Then he noticed the extra member of the group.

"And who might this be?"

Omega inwardly took an imaginary deep breath and looked the Sandaime in the eye.

"My name is Omega, Lord Hokage." She said.

Taking in her appearance and realizing she was a half demon he nodded to her with a kind smile before turning to Kakashi.

"Why did you bring this child back with you?" He asked.

"You would understand better if I told you what happened on the mission." He said.

Sandaime lowered his pipe, and said "Well I'm listening."

Once he was finished the Sandaime's mind was in turmoil, though he managed to keep his expression composed. He thought about Kakashi's description of events on the bridge.

"I see…" The old man said his pipe now out and lying forgotten on his desk. He looked at his ninja, the genin in particular.

"You all did very well on this mission and I applaud you on your success. You've made this village proud." Sandaime said.

The genin with the exception of Sasuke smiled at the praise though the Uchiha stood up straighter. "You are dismissed." He said to the ninja before looking at Omega "And as for you… well there is a council meeting quite soon, we can discuss your request there.

Omega nodded in understanding.

"Follow me." The Hokage said rising from his seat. Omega smiled at Team Seven in thanks before following him.

**xxxxx**

Hours later the half demon was wishing that sleep would take her so she would no longer have to bear with her pounding headache.

Upon her arrival with the Hokage into the meeting room a good majority of the people there had demanded to know what something like her was doing in their village.

After regaining order the Sandaime had explained about Team Seven's mission and Omega's reasons for wanting to reside in the village. When he finished the girl could have sworn she heard someone mutter something about demons attracting other demons but wasn't sure who the comment came from.

Omega stood behind the old man, staring ahead of her at the wall and never moving her gaze. If she was quiet and well behaved perhaps they'd agree faster.

Some people stood up for her, one being the head of the Nara Clan, and another the head of the Aburame Clan.

Eventually those who opposed relented but only if there were 'conditions' concerning her stay.

One man – his name was Danzo Shimura – 'suggested' that she be put under his care and be looked over by former Root members.

The Sandaime lightly responded that considering everything she had gone through because of Gato, Omega would feel like a prisoner if they used Danzo's suggestion, not even counting that those measures were a bit extreme.

Omega mentally signed in relief. Her uncle had told her about Danzo and his mindset on the way of the shinobi, so she was rather grateful to the Hokage for steering her out of that man's care. She would rather her emotions remained intact and strong.

"Considering Kakashi's report on her skills during the battle in Team Seven's mission I think I have a better option. I know that most of you simply see her demon half and think of the Kyubbi, you refuse to recognize her as a being with emotions much like you do with Naruto. Regardless of her parentage she is still a twelve year old motherless child who has suffered greatly in the past year – as well as her entire life. She isn't the Kyubbi just as Naruto isn't."

Some council members had the decency to fidget at his words.

"Now, this girl showed amazing skill during that battle. What if the condition to her staying in the village is that she becomes a Leaf kunoichi? She will answer to me and in turn benefit the Leaf as well. You all know the Chunin Exams will arrive soon, think about how strong we will appear with her participating." The Hokage said. He had seen the look in Kakashi's eye as he spoke of his genin's progress in the mission and knew he would recommend them for the Exams.

There was silence as his words were processed then slowly everyone nodded.

The Sandaime turned to Omega "Well child, do you accept?"

She looked at them all and said "It's reasonable. I accept your offer."

_'They want to keep me on a leash and in their control. I'll have to watch my actions while I'm here.'_ She thought.

"Well then, welcome to the Hidden Leaf, Omega." The Sandaime said.

**xxxxx**

Omega fingered the forehead protector absently; she had decided to tie it around her right arm, just above her elbow were her bandages ended.

After the meeting the Sandaime had arranged for her to spend a night in one of the spare rooms in the tower while he chose which team she would join and her living arrangements.

The results of the first search didn't surprise her though the second one made her raise a white eyebrow.

"You're being serious Lord Hokage?" She asked to make sure.

The old man smiled and said "Team Seven is the only one to have had any interaction with you. It's a given that you would be placed with them. As for your living arrangements well… it was the only thing I could do. Everyone else I requested…" He trailed off, a disappointed frown on his face.

"I understand. I just wanted to make sure I heard correctly. It's a bit… weird to think of me living in the same apartment as Naruto."

"I know for a fact he has two rooms so you needn't worry about privacy that much. I talked to Naruto and he was fine with it."

"I'm not surprised. Thank you for your help Lord Hokage… and your kindness." Omega said the last part softly.

"Do not thank me yet child. You might reconsider your words after spending a few days here. Most of the Leaf will not take kindly to your presence here."

The girl stood up from her seat and shrugged "That's nothing new. Thank you for everything. I'd better go and get settled at Naruto's."

**xxxxx**

After getting settled at said blonde's apartment the girl tried to adjust to life as a Leaf kunoichi… which honestly wasn't really all that hard.

At the moment she was sitting on the railing of the bridge were Naruto had told her Team Seven would be meeting. She was very early but after having that dream again as always she had been unable to sleep and decided to might as well get a head start.

Sasuke was the first to arrive; he looked at her with a mildly surprised expression. Since he was at her left he hadn't seen the headband. Omega simply showed him her other arm and the headband. Seeing he was about to ask many questions she held up a hand.

"Wait until everyone else gets here."

Not liking it Sasuke still obeyed knowing she wouldn't tell him even if he kept pestering her.

Eventually everyone else arrived, Kakashi as usual arriving late.

"Well, I guess you two are wondering why Omega is here… and wearing a Leaf headband." The jonin said after his customary lame excuse for being late.

"Well as decreed by the council a condition of Omega being allowed to stay in the village is that she become a Leaf kunoichi for the duration of her stay." Kakashi said summing it up pretty quickly. He pulled out his orange book and read it while the genin absorbed the information.

"But what about going through the Academy and everything?" Sakura asked.

"This guy called Iruka is supposed to come and see what I need to know. Then he's going to teach it to me." Omega supplied.

"Where are you staying though?" Sakura demanded.

"With me!" Naruto said, grinning.

It was silent for a moment before Sakura punched Naruto across the head.

"OW!" He whined.

"This isn't a time for jokes Naruto!" The pinkette yelled.

"He's not joking Sakura. I am staying with him." Omega said thinking _'Does she always punch him for the littlest reason?'_

Sakura was too shocked to speak so Sasuke asked for her.

"Why?"

"No one else was willing to take me in or rent me a place." Omega said in a matter of fact voice. She didn't seem to be bothered by it at all.

"Anyway I think you need to apologize to Naruto Sakura. You jumped to conclusions when you hit him." She added.

Sakura frowned slightly but apologized to the blonde who took it happily stating this was the first time she had ever apologized for hitting him in a giddy matter.

_'If I'm still sane by the time Papa finds me it'll be a miracle.'_ Omega thought wryly.

After some light sparring the 'new' Team Seven went to get their mission from the Hokage.

The team was being given D ranked mission again, though for Omega it was a new experience.

It went like this for a couple of weeks. Omega got to know the other genin's personalities better along with her jonin sensei. They in turn got to know her personality better as well.

It was nice to be in a group again.

She was often given the nastier work by the people who Team Seven was assigned to help or given the task that was far away from the clients themselves. It amused her a bit, if they were trying to make her feel like nothing they weren't trying nearly hard enough.

Once a man had refused to allow her inside his house so Omega had to wait outside while the others were given the instructions for what he wanted done, Naruto had stayed outside with her and asked her how she could just take that treatment.

"I mean at first I figured you just wanted to avoid causing trouble and giving those jerks in the council a reason to kick you out of the village. But now I'm just confused, how can you let them treat you like that?" The jinchuriki demanded.

Omega looked at the clear cloudless sky and said "I let them treat me like that because it's how I've always lived. I'm so use to taking crap from people like them that it's a habit and on the few occasions I have shouted at them it's like talking to air. They refuse to listen. Anyway if they're going to treat me like that right off the bat because I'm a half demon they're not worth the shouting. I'm me, and I'll continue to be me no matter how they treat me and if they still hate me after seeing my nature than they're hopeless."

Naruto looked at her thoughtfully and said "I can see your point."

Omega grinned "Besides, seeing their expression when I take everything they throw at me and smile at them like I'm saying 'Is that all you got?' is funny."

Before Naruto could respond they heard Sakura call out to them to give them their assignments.

So that was Omega's life for a bit and she enjoyed it. She also liked Iruka-sensei, he had been a bit cautious of her at first but upon getting to know her he opened up. She learned what she needed to quickly.

If only that peace would have lasted a bit longer.

Omega knew that this 'peace' was too good to be true so she prepared herself for whatever would certainly bring chaos once more into her life…or rather whom.

* * *

**Hoped you enjoyed it and please... REVIEW!**

**Sign**

_**Snowlily246**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Read, enjoy and please... REVIEW! (begging here)**

**Also thanks to xXSaSuHiNaXx who has been reviewing every chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters. I own only Omega.**

* * *

Chapter 5

The day started off as nothing unusual… though considering Omega had been tormented by that dream again she was pretty moody for a few hours.

_'At least the dream only happens every couple of weeks, usually.'_ The half demon thought, watching the sun rise from the roof of Naruto's apartment. She was already dressed for the day with her new headband gleaming in the sun's light around her arm.

The dream – well more correctly a nightmare, was actually a memory from one of the worst days of her life.

It was the memory of her mother's death.

Omega could almost feel the sun on her back, the soil beneath her feet, her mother's warm hand wrapped around her own much smaller one. Her mother's gentle smile…. Then the shadow advancing upon them, the choking fear, her mother screaming at her to run, just run!

Oh, how slow she had been, her short legs unable to get her away fast enough, the little white haired child tripping and getting a mouthful of dirt, feeling the demon advance upon her and how she closed her eyes and waited for it to finish it and end her.

Then her mother's scream of fear and anger at seeing her only child about to die reached her ears. There had been a blast of heat from her mother's Inner Fire and a thump. The demon howling in agony and Omega passing out as a weight fell on her person.

It was only for a very short time.

Omega came to, the demon's whimpers loud and plain to her ears. At first she was surprised that she was alive, and then she wondered why she was wet. There had been no rain.

The weight was still on her back but the girl was not scared because she could smell her mother's perfume on it and struggled to stand.

"Mama, Mama please wake up. You're kinda heavy." She had whispered slightly confused. Why had her mama not carried her away and ran to where they would be safe?

Her question was answered when her felt the wetness on her hand, she brought it to face to see what it was and her body stilled.

Blood.

Trembling violently the child looked over her shoulder hoping with all her might that the blood did not mean what she feared it did...

Omega closed her eyes and growled, trying to shake off the memory to no avail. What had followed next was much too vivid. She swallowed as she recalled her hysterical reaction and the Tear Gems she had shed, shaking her mother's body and begging the woman to 'wake up.'

The girl stood up abruptly and leaped off the roof. The breeze chilling her skin because of the shower she had taken. She always took showers after that nightmare because after waking up she felt as if she were still covered in her mother's blood. Only after at least an hour in the shower could calm her, and even then she would remain awake for the rest of the night.

Omega had always regretted never being able to bury her mother's body. She had been forced to run and abandon it when the demon took out its rage out on her. When the half demon had returned days later after recovering from the long run and eventual face off with the demon the body was gone. Her greatest fear had been that some other demon had come along and devoured it or destroyed it out of spite.

It angered her greatly, the thought of her mother's remains inside some demon's belly or destroyed utterly out of resentment toward herself. Momo Kaneko had been a huge part of her life.

Momo had been a woman filled with love, so much love that Omega wondered how she had been lucky enough to be born as her daughter. The woman had loved and nurtured her, her smile and her eyes always seeming to say 'I see you.'

For she truly saw, Momo had a gift for seeing the beauty in things and people without even trying. Even with all the cruelty she and her daughter endured from the world, she never stopped loving it.

Her eyes always had this magical effect. When she looked at you she simply saw you. It had had a magical effect on Gaara too. She looked at him and saw a young lonely boy, not a demon although she acknowledged that Shukau was inside the redhead. Like her daughter she treated Gaara as if he were another child from the village.

People, even her uncle said Omega's eyes were like her mom's in that aspect too but the girl hesitated to believe them for reasons she herself didn't quite understand.

Perhaps it was because she had always felt it was her weakness and inability that had killed her mother.

Shaking off that though Omega growled in annoyance when the pain in her arms grew too much for her to ignore. Thankfully she had gotten to the bridge by then. When she landed the girl looked around, seeing no one in sight she sat on the bridge and unwound the now bloody bandages around her right arm first which was suffering more, as always she grimaced and sighed when she saw the wounds that looked like they had been dealt only days ago.

You could clearly see the angry red rectangular marks wound around her arms and overlapping each other, even the writing on the talismans themselves were etched into her skin thanks to how deep Gato forced the talismans in her arms and which the girl secretly suspected was why they didn't heal as much as they should have.

She cleaned the wound as gently as she could and applied the ointment that took away some of the wound's bite.

By the time the Team Seven's other genin started to arrive Omega had treated both of her arms and disposed of the bloody wrappings, new fresh ones covering her scars.

Naruto immediately walked up to her, the last to arrive and said "You okay?" in a low voice.

Omega sometimes woke up screaming from her nightmare.

She nodded tightly and said "As much as I can be." The dark circles under her eyes prominent.

Sakura looked at her worriedly.

"Did you have a bad dream or something?" She asked.

Omega nodded wearily. Only Naruto knew of the Dream though he had no idea what it was about he tried to help in his own way like having hot chocolate or warm milk ready for her when she finally left the shower. (Omega had taken the food shopping onto herself when she had seen the state of Naruto's fridge.) He also tried to stay awake to keep her company but fell asleep within the hour. The half demon would then carried him to his bed, tucked him in and go to the rooftop afterward until dawn. She would then wait at the bridge.

That was the routine for when she had the Dream.

After assuring himself she was fine he greeted Sakura before seeing Sasuke. The too stared at each other for a moment before glaring at each other and turning away with a huff or snort of contempt.

As Sakura sighed with exasperation Omega simply ignored the two boys and yawned loudly.

Two hours later Kakashi arrived after the customary lame excuse followed by Naruto and Sakura's immediately annoyed shouting they went to the tower to get their missions.

Naruto had a bad day.

The mission's activity kept Omega's mind busy and eventually her usual calm and laidback matter showed itself. She and Sasuke took turns getting Naruto out of the trouble he unintentionally got himself into during their missions.

When their missions were complete Omega and Sakura helped Naruto walk, his arms slung over their shoulders after he had been electrocuted by a fence that a dog he had been walking dragged him into. Kakashi and Sasuke took the lead and walked ahead of them.

_'I wonder if Lord Kurama enjoyed seeing that…'_ Omega mused. She couldn't help it, she was much too curious.

"Look at you! You're hopeless Naruto!" Sakura said with annoyance.

"You really are just one big problem." Sasuke added a small smile on his face. Naruto growled at the Uchiha's back.

"Sasuke!" He shouted, yanking himself from the girls' grips and lunging for the boy only to be stopped by Sakura as Sasuke continued to walk away.

"If you don't stop this right now you're going to get it!" She shouted.

"Guess we're not making a lot of progress on the teamwork thing huh." Kakashi sighed. Omega privately agreed.

"That's right! Our teamwork's all messed up and it's all because of you Sasuke!" Naruto shouted "You think you're better than everyone don't you Sasuke!?"

"Not everyone, just you. Face it I'm better and stronger than you are. It's a fact, unless you have what it takes to prove me wrong." Sasuke said looking at Naruto over his shoulder.

The two growled facing each other and Omega fed up with them walked in between them.

"Enough of this! Naruto, Sasuke, you're both ninja. Act like it." She said.

"Hey, Naruto's the one who starts –" Sakura started to defend her crush.

"Yet it is Sasuke who eggs him on half the time. Sakura, understand that Sasuke is not always innocent in these arguments. Now, Sasuke –" She turned to the Uchiha.

"I can only guess that you're impatient to grow stronger. That's a given. But you must understand that strength is only that – strength. It's a tool at your disposal, and as such you must have the knowledge to use that tool effectively. Power is nothing if you do not have the discipline and maturity to contain and tame it. And those two things come with time. Even strength must bow to wisdom. And Naruto, please learn to ignore Sasuke when he's saying such things. Put your irritation into proving him wrong and training. "

When she was done she saw that her team was staring at her, even Kakashi. Feeling uncomfortable she fidgeted until the jonin suddenly spoke.

"I think that's it for today. I have to file my report for this mission anyway."

Omega saw the hawk flying above and frowned as Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Whatever, I'm out of here." Sasuke grumbled walking away, Sakura immediately said she'd come with him.

As Naruto sulked at being left behind she heard Sasuke say something to Sakura that the half demon thought she needed to hear.

"Instead of flirting why don't you train to develop your jutsu and make the team stronger? Let's face it; you're actually worse than Naruto." Sasuke said bluntly.

Sakura's face fell as she realized he was right but what he said next truly hit that realization home.

"Try asking Omega for help, she can probably teach you something useful."

'_He's right! At this point she's been more of a help to the team than me! And she didn't even go to the Academy! I've been part of the team longer but Omega has been three times more useful! I've done zip!'_ The kunoichi internally wailed.

Seeing an opportunity Naruto called out "Just forget about Sasuke, we can develop our teamwork all day!"

Omega raised an eyebrow as a box painted to look like a rock crawled across the ground toward Naruto while the blonde was talking.

"Naruto, you have visitors." She said. He turned around and his expression became one of annoyance.

The half demon watched with amusement as he ran back and forth with the box following him before it exploded in colors of blue, pink and yellow.

Three children, all wearing goggles over their heads, were in the middle of the colored smoke coughing.

"I'm Moegi the sexist kunoichi in preschool. Check me out!" The only girl shouted, her red hair held up in very high pigtails.

"I love algebra call me Udon!" The first boy shouted, browned haired. He wore glasses and seemed to have a cold.

"And I'm the number one ninja in the village, Konohamaru!" The second and last boy cried out. He had shirt spiky brown hair and a long blue scarf around his neck.

"- And together we're the Konohamaru Ninja Squad!" All three children shouted.

Omega's mouth twitched.

Naruto and Konohamaru talked, during which that time Sakura's expression grew more and more a mix of annoyance and chagrin.

Eventually the three young ones noticed the girls. Udon and Konohamaru stared at Omega while Naruto explained she was a new addition to the team.

"Hello." Omega said smiling.

Udon blushed as did Konohamaru who elbowed Naruto in the ribs.

"Wow, you're a smooth operator Boss." He said grinning.

"What?" Naruto asked, not getting it.

"Omega's your girlfriend isn't she? Nice catch you lucky dog! I never thought you'd find yourself such a looker!" Konohamaru said.

The girl in question coughed loudly as Naruto, turning red quickly, corrected his admirer. However he looked at Omega out of the corner of his eye and realized his friend was right, Omega was pretty – very much so. How had he not noticed it before?

"Oh…" Konohamaru said when Naruto corrected him while internally leaping for joy. Then he looked at Sakura.

"So… the pink haired one's your girlfriend? Not bad." He said.

Naruto smiled with a light blush as Moegi walked up to Omega.

"How long have you been here?" She asked.

"I've only been here a few weeks." Omega admitted.

"How do you like it?" The girl asked.

Omega tried to search for the right words, when she finally found them she never got to say them because Sakura's patience finally snapped.

"THAT'S IT!" Sakura shouted and punched Naruto with surprising force.

Acting quickly Omega leaped in Naruto's path and caught his flying body the force making her skid back a few feet and bumping into the fence behind her person.

"BOSS!" Konohamaru shouted as he and his friends rushed to Naruto's side.

Omega laid him on the ground and watched as Udon fumbled for the unconscious jinchuriki's wrist muttering "His pulse, his pulse!"

"You're a witch and you're ugly too!" Konohamaru shouted at Sakura angrily. Seeing the look in Sakura's eyes Omega jumped to her feet and pulled Konohamaru out of harm's way with one hand while grabbing Sakura's fist with the other. The boy clung to her leg wide eyed.

"Sakura get a hold of yourself!" Omega said pushing her teammate away.

Sakura looked between her and Naruto's prone form before huffing and walking away with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Beauty, brains, and strength, the boss should totally make you his girlfriend!" Konohamaru said looking at Omega after he had released her leg.

Blushing Omega said "We're only friends, anyway are you alright?"

"Yep, all thanks to you!" Konohamaru said cheerfully as Naruto came around rubbing the bump on his head.

The younger boy looked at Sakura's retreating back and said loudly "I don't think she's human! Did you see how wide her forehead is?"

Omega paled as Sakura froze in her tracks _'Damn!'_

The kunoichi slowly looked at the group over her shoulder…

…and before they knew it she was running at them full speed with a rather frightening expression.

In a flash of intuition Omega jumped to the side as the others ran. Sakura chased after them, not giving her teammate a second glance.

"I better make sure she doesn't go too far." The half demon sighed and then ran after them.

**xxxxx**

Omega froze when she saw the boy holding Konohamaru up by his long scarf… or rather the symbol on his forehead protector.

The Hidden Sand.

The girl quickly hid before they could notice her, high in the tree conveniently right next to the situation.

Her hand was shaking as it grasped her hourglass. The boy dressed in the black body suit and hood with purple face paint was a stranger but the girl she definitely knew.

Temari, Gaara's older sister.

She hadn't change too much over the years. Her face had matured and she was much taller but she still had her hair gathered into four short pigtails. A giant fan was strapped to her back.

_'Then it's possible that the boy is Kankuro. Gaara's older brother.'_ Omega thought willing herself to be calm but it was so hard.

_Gaara..._

"…Let him go!" Naruto shouted angrily. He ran for the boy only to be sent flying back by some invisible force.

Omega looked at the boy's free hand and the thing strapped on his back thinking _'A puppet-nin!?'_

"PUT HIM DOWN YA FOOL OR YOU'RE GONNA GET IT!" Naruto shouted only for Sakura to grab him in a head lock.

"You're the fool! Making threats isn't going to help Naruto!" Sakura shouted.

Despite herself Omega silently banged her head against the tree trunk thinking _'Really guys?'_

"You're annoying, all of you. I don't like runts or any other scrawny weaklings. So when a wimp like this starts shooting off his mouth, I just want to break him in half." The boy said smirking.

Omega tensed realizing she might have to step in… but relaxed when she saw Sasuke silently leap onto a lower branch. He was unaware of her presence, and held a couple of pebbles in one hand.

"Fine, but I'm not involved in any of this. Got it Kankuro?" Temari said, confirming the boy's identity.

"It's your lost." Kankuro said, pulling back his free hand, which was balled into a fist. Naruto ran forward in an attempt to save his friend.

Sasuke sat on the branch and coolly threw a pebble at Kankuro.

It hit the puppet-nin's hand and he yelped in pain, dropping Konohamaru in his surprise. The boy quickly scrambled back to his friends.

Everyone turned and saw Sasuke sitting on a branch tossing a pebble up and down, looking at Kankuro coolly. Omega had drawn herself behind the tree, not wanting to be seen.

"Get lost." Sasuke ordered, crushing the remaining pebble in his hand into dust. This prompted fan girl squeals from Sakura, Moegi, and Udon.

Omega rolled her eyes but they quickly widened with shock when Kankuro took off whatever was on his back and placed it on the ground, smirking.

"Are you seriously going to use the Crow for this?" Temari demanded her expression one of disbelief.

_'I don't like this.'_ Omega thought, shifting so she could leap into the group quickly if he actually used 'Crow'.

Then someone spoke up.

Omega felt her heartbeat pick up rapidly and the blood drain her face as the owner of the voice spoke. The voice was a bit deeper, a bit more mature, but she would recognize it anywhere.

"Kankuro, back off." Gaara of the Desert said.

He was on the other side of the tree standing on the bottom of a branch, right across from Sasuke who stiffen; evidently he had not realized that Gaara had been there, just as Omega hadn't.

_'It's like he appeared out of nowhere.'_ She thought. Gaara had not noticed her which was not really a surprise. When they were children and played Hide and Seek he could never find her. It seemed that little fact was still true. No matter how much time had passed if she wanted to stay hidden he wouldn't be able to find her.

Oh pitiful irony.

Slowly Omega peeked from her hiding place, grateful she had gone so high, and took a good look at the childhood friend she had not seen in six years.

He was taller, and wore a huge calabash shaped gourd on his back. He wore a short sleeved black body suit and had his arm crossed over his chest. His hair was still a reddish auburn color and the black circles from his childhood were still around his blue eyes. A white sash went over his right shoulder and left hip while the strap for his gourd went over his left shoulder and right hip.

But Omega could see deeper changes. The most visible one being the kanji sign carved into the left side of his forehead, his hair was actually parted there to make the scar more visible. It was the symbol for ai.

Love.

Omega took a deep breath knowing the only way Gaara could have gotten that scar was if he had inflicted it on himself.

The only thing that could match the pain of that knowledge was the look in Gaara's eyes. She had seen it many times in the eyes of others.

On the surface they were calm and apathetic but people like Omega could tell you there was a lot of anger toward the world in those eyes – a desire to watch it burn.

His calm expression also faintly reminded her of the one her father usually wore except that unlike her father, Gaara's eyes did not feel like you were looking at water – an element that could go from gentle to enrage in an instant.

It felt like you were looking at predator.

Swallowing hard Omega tried to get a hold of herself.

"You're an embarrassment to our village." Gaara said bluntly. His statement shocked the Konoha genin and his siblings, though Kankuro looked more afraid than shocked.

_'They're afraid of him.'_ Omega thought bitterly, remembering how Gaara had rarely if ever talked of his siblings – they had avoided him too.

"Have you forgotten the reason we came all the way here?" Gaara added.

"I know Gaara – I-I mean they challenged us. They started the whole thing really, see here's what happened –" Kankuro said.

"Shut up or I'll kill you." Gaara interrupted, not buying his brother's lie. Omega grimaced when she realized that if Kankuro didn't shut up, Gaara would probably kill him.

"R-right, I was totally out if line Gaara. I –I was totally out line." Kankuro stuttered. Sweat was running down his face, and he looked very nervous.

"I'm sorry for any trouble he may have caused." Gaara added, turning his head to look at Sasuke. They stared at each other for a moment before the former disappeared in rush of sand and reappeared next to his siblings.

"Let's go, we didn't come here to play games." The Sand Ninja said.

"Alright." Kankuro said.

The three were walking away when Sakura stepped forward demanding to know why they were here.

Temari explained they were in Konoha for the Chunin Exams… which Team Seven had no clue even existed.

Konohamaru explained the purpose of the exams – to see if genin were ready to become chunin.

"At least not all of you live under a rock." Temari said. Then Sasuke leaped to the ground and asked Gaara for his name, who asked the Uchiha for his name as well.

"I am Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke said.

"I bet you're dying to know my name!" Naruto suddenly shouted, grinning widely.

"I couldn't care less." Gaara responded and turned away.

"Too bad Omega wasn't here. " Konohamaru said suddenly to his friends, much to the girl in question's horror. "She could have kicked that Kankuro guy's butt in five seconds flat."

Gaara's two siblings' expressions were one of confusion (Kankuro's also one of irritation). The kind of confusion brought on by hearing something that's familiar but you can't remember how you know it. Gaara's form stiffened for a brief moment, so brief Omega was sure she was the only one beside his siblings that noticed.

"Let's go." He growled suddenly 'moody'. The expressions on Temari and Kankuro became one of fear and they quickly nodded, following him as they leapt away.

_'He remembers me.'_ She thought, before glancing on another lower branch where three genin – strangers - were perched on. They had arrived on the tree after Sasuke had jumped from it but had been watching for much longer than that.

"What do you think Dosu?" The boy with spiked up dark hair asked.

"The usual weaklings nothing special, but the one from the Uchiha Clan and that desert rat, we should watch them, carefully." The boy with most of his face except his left eye covered in bandages responded.

The third genin, a girl with ankle length hair tied loosely at the end with a ribbon stood silent but there was an arrogant smile on her face.

Omega's eyes narrowed.

_'It looks like my life is going to be more complicated for a while, again.'_

* * *

**Hoped you liked it. Please R&R!**

**Sign**

_**Snowlily246**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Hope you enjoy this! And I really hoped I portrayed Gaara correctly. Constructive criticism is welcomed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters. I own only Omega.**

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Chapter 6

Omega silently left her hiding place, brooding over what she had recently seen on a nearby rooftop. Her heart felt like it had been mangled and she struggled to deal with her emotions.

_'All this because of a boy I haven't seen in six years.'_ She mused cynically to herself. If Omega was honest with herself she had to admit that she should have left Gaara behind with her memories years ago, that was the logical thing to do. It would have saved her from suffering a lot of pain that could have been avoided.

But while Omega acknowledged that she also knew why she hadn't let Gaara become a memory.

It was because she knew what it would have felt like to be abandoned like that. The betrayal, the hurt, and the years following that would forever make one cynical and suspicious of those around them. The thought of that sweet little boy with that wonderful smile from her childhood hating the world pained her whenever she had thought about it.

And now her fear had been confirmed as a reality.

She ran a hand through her white hair, looking up at the blue sky. Her sleepless night was starting to haunt her; maybe it had been a warning. It was too much of a coincidence to have that dream and then see Gaara hours later.

_'At least I can say I've never stopped caring.'_ Omega thought. Then the restlessness in her soul grew too much and she leaped gracefully off the roof she had been sitting on and into the air before landing on the next roof and repeating the process. She needed to burn energy.

The girl had just landed on the roof of an unoccupied house when she felt it. Tensing, she slowly turned and came face to face with the very boy who had been occupying her thoughts.

He was standing a few feet away evidently having been pondering something. His expression was as blank and apathetic as it had been a few short hours ago, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

Omega straightened and smiled nervously.

"Hello." She managed to say, nervous beyond belief, worrying how he would react to seeing her again.

His eyes narrowed even more at the sound of her voice, Omega could sense Shukaku's chakra rising but thankfully not in a violent matter. He was probably just reacting to her 'scent'. Half demons were a rare sight for Tailed Beast since they were sealed away, let alone other demons.

Finally the boy spoke.

"Are you… her?" He asked his voice just above a whisper… and suspicious. He seemed to be readying himself to tell if she was lying or not.

"Depends… whose her?" Omega asked fidgeting under his stare. She couldn't help asking, it was automatic.

Gaara's eyes narrowed even further is that was possible and the sand reacted to his apparent annoyance, shifting at his feet.

"Are you taunting me?" He asked dangerously.

Now Shukaku's chakra was getting violent.

Omega frowned and said "Calm down Gaara, if you're asking if I'm Omega, then the answer is yes." Her eyes softened "I'm happy to see you."

That statement was truthful, despite the pain of knowing that he had changed so horribly she was happy to see him. Her nerves were ceasing to shake and her fear of him hating her fading as she realized that he was… confused.

"Gaara?" She asked.

His hairless brows had furrowed in confusion and disbelief at her last statement.

"You're… happy to see me?" He asked for confirmation.

Omega nodded, walking closer, her previous shyness nearly nonexistent now.

His eyes narrowed again and he growled "You should be dead."

Omega's eyes widened in surprise and her shock stopped her in her tracks.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"….My uncle told me that you had been killed by a demon in a small village in the Fire Country." He said eyes suspicious again, waiting for her answer, ready to catch her in a lie.

"… It's true that I was attacked by a demon, but I managed to survive… my mother wasn't so lucky." Omega whispered.

Gaara looked at her, and saw that she was telling the truth. Something on her chest glinted in the sunlight and his eyes zeroed in on it, once he saw what it was he could not stop his expression from becoming shocked.

"You… kept… that?" He said slowly.

Omega looked at where he was staring and saw he was looking at the miniature hourglass hanging from her neck. The sand inside was actually shifting slightly in response to being so close to Gaara.

She grasped the hourglass in her hand and said with that disarming honesty "Of course I did, it's important to me, you gave it to me after all."

The boy looked at her unable to understand….

He did not know what to do. For the first time in six years Shukaku was not demanding for blood, he was actually just watching… it was a very rare luxury for the boy to have his mind at peace to this extent.

It had been like that when they were children after a rather surprising conversation…. Back when he had still been unaware of just what Shukaku was.

Gaara was so absorbed in his thoughts he did not notice Omega walking closer until she spoke.

"You've gotten taller; but I used to be shorter than you." She said in an attempt to break the tension. Her head cocked as she determined she was almost an inch taller than her childhood friend.

Gaara almost jumped when he realized that she was only foot away from him. And there was no fear in her expression.

"Why do you not cower? Surely you must have realized that I am a monster now." He growled.

Omega looked at him solemnly and her words surprised him "Have you forgotten what I am? I've… seen a lot of horrible things in the time we've been apart. It takes a lot more than this for me to get scared."

"You do not fear death? I could kill you with a thought." Gaara said harshly, the sand in his gourd shifted loudly to back up his statement. Did she expect him to believe her words so easily?

Omega smiled without humor "A lot of… people have tried to kill me over the years. It's gotten to the point where death doesn't scare me."

The sand dropped like dead weight in his gourd and Gaara looked at her with mistrust still. He was having a hard time deciding what it felt like to see his long lost first friend again… the one had he believed to be dead. He had been told by Yashamaru during his betrayal she had died and her 'death' had practically crushed him.

She had been the only one his age to look at him and not see something to be hated. He had been devastated over her mother's death as well. She had been the only adult besides his uncle who cared for him. And she had given him the motherly love that he had never gotten the chance to get from his own mother.

After Yashamaru's betrayal he had thought of her often afterwards. His uncle had only said she had been killed when he had told him what he truly thought of him but Gaara had come to believe that if she had truly cared for him it was because of her demon blood… it was the only thing that made sense.

As for her mother… well a woman who had fell in love with a demon and willingly bore that demon a child shouldn't find it hard to care for someone like Gaara.

The boy looked at her again, and came to his decision.

_'I won't harm her unless Mother demands it, and as long as she does not threaten my existence as well than she will be spared.'_

Suddenly Omega said "You still can't sleep, can't you?"

He shook his head.

"Why do you ask?" He said.

Omega shrugged "Curiosity."

There was a slightly awkward silence after she spoke, or at least it was awkward for Omega, she couldn't be sure about how Gaara felt.

"Do you want to talk?" She finally said to break the silence.

He looked at her as if she was the weird one.

She inwardly scowled at that but then thought to herself _'Well neither of us are normal anyway.'_

"You don't have to give me that look. I was just trying to be nice!" Omega huffed mockingly having come to a decision.

_'It's easier for me to be myself around him like when we were kids. I can't forget what he's been turned into but that doesn't mean that I'll treat him differently from how I used to… at least not too differently. Hopefully I can keep him from unnecessarily killing some unlucky soul if I stay with him too. That's a bonus.'_

"Well if you don't want to talk I need to go, but I'll see you around. Good bye Gaara. Say hello to your brother and sister for me, okay?"

Gaara was about to scowl at her tone when he realized something and his eyes narrowed suspiciously again.

"How did you know my siblings were here as well?"

Omega smiled widely, showing white teeth.

"Simple, I was watching. I was surprised that you didn't sense my presence but I guess that's one thing from our childhood that will always stay the same. When I Hide you can't find me."

Gaara's sand shot up in response to his patience snapping, before he could stop the unintended attack Omega swiftly dodged it - with an ease that would be astonishing to Gaara's team had they seen it - flipping to the side.

" –And you still can't catch me with your sand. See you later Gaara."

Before he could attack her on purpose she was gone leaving Gaara in a jumble of foreign and confused emotions.

**xxxxx**

The next day Team Seven was awaiting the arrival of their ever late sensei. Unlike last night Omega had gotten a full night's sleep and was operating much more effectively as a result.

At the moment the girl was humming a strange tune under her breath as she looked at the steady river flowing below the bridge.

'"Hey, what's that song? I can't hear any words but the tune sounds strange." Naruto said walking up to her.

She smiled and said "I'm not surprised; the song is in another language, an old language. Even if I sang it out loud you wouldn't understand it."

"Try me, sing it out loud!" Naruto said always up for a challenge. However his words were met with a strange reaction.

Omega bit her lip and said "Maybe later, okay?"

"Why not now, there's nothing else to do!" Naruto whined.

"Well…." Before Omega could finish Sakura started yelling.

"Why, Why, Why!? It's always the same! He sets the time and we have to wait hours for him! It's not fair!"" The kunoichi yelled.

"Yeah it's not fair!" Naruto agreed.

"What about my needs? I rushed here so fast I didn't have time to blow dry my hair!" Sakura ranted.

"And I didn't have time to brush my teeth or change my underwear!" Naruto added.

Omega cringed _'That's more than I needed to know.'_

"You, didn't? That's really disgusting Naruto." Sakura said. Omega saw Sasuke turn away from the commotion with annoyance on his face.

The next moment Kakashi appeared.

"Hello everyone, sorry I'm late. I'm afraid I got lost on the path of life." Kakashi greeted them.

"YOU LIAR!" Naruto and Sakura shouted in unison as Omega yawned.

"Get new lame excuses. Yours are getting repetitive." The half demon said causally effectively making the jonin sweat drop.

"That's hurts. Anyway I know it's a bit sudden but I recommend you for the Chunin Exams, all four of you. Here are the application forums." He said holding out four slips of paper.

Omega raised an eyebrow as she took an application forum for herself, remembering what the Third had said in an effort to convince the council to allow her to stay in the Leaf.

"This is all voluntary; if you don't feel up to it you can wait till next year. It's your decision." The jounin said.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI, YOU ROCK!" Naruto shouted. He tackled the man in a hug earning a half smile from Omega as the jounin detached his student.

"Don't slobber on my vest!" Kakashi cried out as Naruto let go.

"As I was saying, whoever wants to take the exam sign the application and go to room 308 at the Academy, it's at 3:00 pm five days from now. That's it." Kakashi said.

Kakashi left and the genin walked away, Naruto talking to himself no doubt picturing how he would win and prove himself.

Omega looked at the forum and mentally shrugged. Why not? Besides it was part of the reason she was being allowed to stay anyway.

Those five days passed quickly, during that time Omega looked around for any sign of Gaara but the redhead did not make an appearance… though the girl could have sworn she felt his chakra from behind a building or on a roof when her back was turned. She would try to shrug it off and not be hurt. Just like Gaara couldn't find her if she hid she could rarely force him to show himself… even though they both knew she knew he was there. When he wanted to show himself she would be waiting.

Eventually the time for the Exam came.

Sasuke, Naruto and Omega ended up waiting for Sakura who was a little late. The kunoichi apologized and they went inside.

Omega looked around the halls curiously never having been in any type of school. She had been taught at home by her mother. It seemed interesting. Omega wondered what it felt like to learn with a bunch of other children.

Two boys, ninja from their clothing and posture, were blocking the door to the room the genin were supposed to enter.

Omega squinted her eyes and frowned. While demons were also vulnerable to genjutsu, half demons, being both human and demon had an as of yet unexplained ability to noticed a genjutsu much easier than both species, even if they were untrained. However it all depended on how strong the illusion was and how skilled the half demon was in detecting one.

The genjutsu above the door was decent but weak enough for Omega to notice.

For a moment the sign above the door said 201 instead of 301 before the genjutsu took hold again. The ninja guarding the door also briefly appeared as much older versions of themselves.

_'Hmm, so the test has already begun.'_ Omega thought. She considered telling the others but decided not to. She was far too curious to see if the humans would even notice the genjutsu. If they did it would be beneficial if they just kept walking and ignored what was happening. There would be less competition.

Team Seven walked through the crowd and Sasuke spoke up.

"Nice speech, now step aside and let me pass and reverse the genjutsu we can see through the illusion anyway. We're going to the third floor." The Uchiha said.

"What's he talking about? We are on the third floor." A genin in the crowd muttered.

"So you noticed the genjutsu huh?" The brown haired ninja said, frowning.

Sasuke turned to Sakura and told her to tell them about the genjutsu. After her initial shock at her teammate's uncharacteristic complement/ acknowledgment of one of her talents Sakura confirmed it, saying that everyone was on the second floor not the third.

"Aren't you the smart one, so you noticed an illusion? Let's see you deal with this!" The ninja with dark spiky hair rushed forward aiming a kick at Sasuke who immediately noticed and countered with one of his own. Before either attack could connect however a green spandex suit clad genin with a bowl cut that had been getting knocked around by the disguised chunin earlier stopped each kick with one hand. He did this with incredible speed as well.

Omega smiled, getting over her surprise, she was very impressed.

Sasuke and the boy drew back as the green clad boy's teammates came forward.

"What happened to the plan? I thought you were the one who said to keep a low profile and not let anyone see our skill level." The boy with white eyes that had no visible pupil said.

"I know, but..." The first boy said, his thick bushy eyebrows drawing together in his discomfort. Omega saw that bruises on his face earlier were gone.

"Never mind it's over, forget it." The only girl of the team said. She had brown eyes and hair that was up in two buns on either side of her head.

The green clad boy walked forward, looking at Sakura with a small blush.

"My name is Rock Lee, and you are Sakura, correct?" He said.

"Uh?" The pink haired kunoichi said in confusion.

"Please be my girlfriend! I vow to protect you with my life!" Lee said with a thumb up. His teeth sparkled.

Omega's mouth twitched and she fought to keep her expression neutral as Sakura reacted to Lee's… spontaneous announcement.

"Definitely…not." Sakura managed to say.

"But…why?" Lee asked, crestfallen.

"…Because you're a weirdo!" Sakura shouted back, annoyed and embarrassed. Naruto laughed.

Omega looked at Lee with sympathy though a small smile was on her face.

"Hey you!" The white eyed boy said looking at Sasuke "What's your name?"

While Naruto seethed with jealousy over the attention the Uchiha was getting, Sasuke remarked that it was common courtesy to give your own name first before asking someone else's.

The white eyed boy ignored the remark.

"You're one of the rookies right? How old are you anyway?" The boy asked.

"I'm not obliged to answer that." Sasuke said.

"What?" The boy said dangerously.

Sasuke merely walked away, looking at Naruto who was beside Lee, both of them muttering over their respective dilemmas.

"Hey, guys, let's go." Sakura said. Naruto and Sasuke walked up to her, Omega was about to as well but stopped suddenly.

"One moment please." She said and ran back to the two disguised ninja who were about to go into the room they had been guarding.

They turned to her questioningly; their faces weren't hostile so Omega went ahead with what she wanted to do. Channeling chakra into her fingertips she gently tapped both on their headband covered foreheads. There was a 'pop' and the genjutsu on them was stripped away, revealing two older versions of themselves.

They were the ninja that guarded the gate to Konoha.

Gasps could be heard and Omega smiled at the two chunin.

"Word of advice, if you're trying to fool a half demon with a genjutsu, you need to put a bit more effort into the illusion. I saw through your disguises right after the door trick. It was still pretty good though."

With that said she turned back to her shocked team, and walked past them. Only when she asked them why they weren't following did they snap out of it and hurry after her.

**xxxx**

The brown haired chunin smiled and chuckled as he walked into the room, saying to his teammate "You realize she only destroyed the disguises to show us that we need to be more cautious if we try to use genjutsu to fool some half demon in the future, right?"

"Yep, she was a bit smug don't you think?" The second chunin said.

"Well she did see through our illusion pretty quickly. She has a right to be. Hmm, looks like the Chunin Exams are going to be interesting."

**xxxx**

"How did you know?" Naruto questioned Omega as they walked.

"Half demons have an easier time seeing through genjutsu. No one knows why but personally I think it's because our chakra is a mix of a human's spiritual chakra with a demon's demonic chakra. The two merge in someone like me and because of that a genjutsu done by a human or demon has a hard time manipulating the mind since only part of the chakra is similar to themselves."

"Why didn't you say anything though?" Sakura asked.

"I wanted to see what you three would do." Omega replied.

"What do you mean by that that?" Sasuke said.

The girl shrugged and said "I wanted to see if you guys would even notice it and if you did what you would do – say something or keep quiet."

"Why would we keep quiet?" Naruto said, scratching his ear.

"The test began the moment we stepped inside the building. If we just kept quiet about the illusion and kept going we'd have less competition to deal with." Omega said.

Naruto's eyes widened and he slapped his forehead "Gah!" He cried out, partly from what Omega had said and partly because he had slapped himself a bit harder than he had intended.

Sakura blinked before groaning "You're right."

Sasuke looked annoyed with himself and ran a hand through his hair "What's done is done. We just have to keep moving but next time Omega, tell us if there a genjutsu."

She blushed slightly "I will it's just that there wasn't anything dangerous about the test and I wanted to see what you guys would do. My curiosity gets the better of me…."

"I can understand that." Naruto piped up, having gotten over his self-annoyance.

The group was passing through a large empty room when a familiar voice spoke up.

"Hey, you with the attitude."

All four genin turned around and saw Lee looking at them from the platform above.

Sakura looked chagrined, Naruto and Sasuke just stared and Omega felt a smile trying to creep onto her face. If nothing else this was bound to be entertaining.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, as usual getting to the point immediately.

"I want to fight, right here and right now." Lee said.

"You want to fight me?' Sasuke said.

Lee confirmed it and jumped from the platform onto their floor. He said that he wanted to see if what everyone said about the great Uchiha Clan was true and also…

Lee looked at Sakura who jumped.

"Oh Sakura… I love you!" The boy said, blushing.

"Didn't you just meet her a few minutes ago?" Omega questioned out loud. No one responded which was probably because Sakura was currently dodging the kisses Lee was blowing to her.

After narrowly missing the last one Sakura snapped and yelled at Lee to 'keep his weird valentines to himself' while Naruto gripped about how 'it was always about Sasuke'. Omega was pressing her lips together tightly, trying not to laugh.

The Uchiha accepted Lee's challenge only for Naruto to interrupt and say he would fight Lee who refused saying he only wanted to fight Sasuke.

Naruto charged anyway.

Seeing he wasn't taking Lee seriously Omega shook her head in disapproval.

She wasn't all that surprised when Lee easily defeated Naruto, knocking the jinchuriki into the wall and leaving him unconscious.

"He's stronger than he looks." Sakura said, clearly spooked.

"Looks mean nothing; you should never judge an opponent by their appearance." Omega said as Lee once again challenged Sasuke who accepted with more interest than before.

Sakura however objected saying that they only had less than half an hour to register. Sasuke waved off her concerns and charged Lee.

"Remember not to underestimate him!" Omega called out.

The spar began.

Lee disappeared when Sasuke tried to attack and reappeared above the Uchiha who put his guard up….only for Lee to go right through it.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out when her crush skidded across the floor from the blow's force.

Omega breathed in sharply, surprised and impressed.

Sasuke stood up, smirking, and opened his eyes to reveal blood red orbs - the Sharingan.

He charged Lee again. Sakura's eyes lit up with admiration for her teammate.

Omega narrowed her eyes_ 'Lee's not using genjutsu, I'd be able to at least detect one and I know it's not ninjutsu…it has to be taijutsu. He's so fast…. Even faster than Haku was! It's no wonder that Sasuke can't bring his guard up fast enough!'_

Never less when Lee once again easily repelled Sasuke Omega was still a bit in awe of the older genin.

At that time Naruto was waking up and gasped when he saw his teammate getting his Uchiha pride handed to him on a silver platter.

Lee explained that he was only using taijutsu – straight marital arts and that while Sasuke's eyes were quick enough to see through his moves ahead of time if the Uchiha was too slow to dodge them then it didn't do much good. He also added that he believed that there were two types of ninja, those who are born with talent and those who have to train everyday of their lives.

He kicked Sasuke into the air and leaped after him.

Omega tensed and stepped forward, Lee may have earned some respect but that didn't mean she'd let him harm her comrade more than was absolutely necessary.

Lee appeared behind Sasuke as he sailed through the air and let the wrappings around his arms and hands loosen enough that some of it was waving in the air behind him.

Omega prepared to leap upward when a pinwheel came out of nowhere and pinned one of Lee's bandages to the wall.

Sakura and Naruto gasped.

"This is bad." Lee said.

A red and gold Turtle was standing a few feet away a Leaf headband around his neck. An orange cloth was tied around his right front leg.

"All right that's enough Lee!" The Turtle barked.

Lee turned in midair and landed in front of the Turtle. Omega relaxed as Sakura caught Sasuke, and went to check on Naruto.

The blonde was staring wide eyed at Lee disbelief and wonder clear on his face.

"You – you were watching the whole time?" Lee asked timidly, looking at the floor.

"Of course I was! That last technique is forbidden you know that!" the Turtle shouted.

_'Looks like Lee's in trouble.'_ Omega thought, tugging Naruto to his feet.

The older genin was apologizing over and over to the Turtle and trying to give him a valid excuse for having disobeyed him.

Naruto's eyes lit up and he ran to his other teammates, Omega trailing behind, voicing his belief that the Turtle was Lee's sensei.

Omega laughed.

"Naruto, that Turtle is a Summon." She giggled.

Naruto scratched his head "A what?"

"Sometimes ninja sign contracts with a Summon Animal…and by the way that animal is a Tortoise not a Turtle - after that they can call the Summon or their kin to aid them in combat." Omega explained.

"How do you know this?" Sasuke asked, ignoring Lee for the moment.

"I've traveled a lot and seen a lot of things." Omega said. By this time the Tortoise was asking Lee of he was ready to face the consequences.

"Yes Sir." Lee said glumly.

"Alright please come out, Guy-sensei!" The Tortoise called out. There was a puff of smoke and Guy appeared on top of the Tortoise.

"How you doing everybody? What's shakin', life treating you good?" The man asked. Like Lee he was dressed in a dark green jumpsuit with orange leg warmers and his headband tied around his waist like a belt. He also had a bowl shaped haircut and bushy eyebrows. The only difference between them was their facial structures, voices and the fact that Guy wore a Konoha flak jacket over his suit.

Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto were horrified and disgusted while Omega unsuccessfully tried to suppress an unladylike snort. Yep, this was definitely entertaining.

"Hello Lee." Guy said.

"He's got the bushy eyebrows yet! They're almost alive!" Naruto shouted before adding "So that's where Lee gets it! Same soup bowl haircut and even bushier eyebrows!"

Lee snapped and yelled at Naruto who yelled back. Guy stopped the argument and punished Lee by punching him much to Team Seven's shock.

Guy then walked over to his student and apologized….what next was a new one even for Omega.

They both hugged and were suddenly on a rocky beach with a setting sun behind them and as they talked tears poured down their faces.

Team Seven were disgusted except for Omega who didn't know how to react, though her eye was twitching.

_'This…is something new.'_ She thought as the two pulled themselves together. Guy then ordered his student to do 100 laps around the practice field, to run into the setting sun, to run and suffer – but not mess up his hair.

Sakura then reminded the two oddball ninja that the Chunin Exams were starting.

Guy agreed with her and told Lee that since he had interfered with the exams he should do 500 laps instead.

"They're insane." Sakura said dully.

By this time Omega had decided to just roll with it.

Guy then asked how Kakashi was doing. This surprised the genin, when Guy suddenly appeared behind them informing them of his sparring record with Kakashi. Omega the only one to have actually see Guy running and not just disappear was not too surprised by this information.

Her teammates however were having trouble accepting this fact.

Guy then told Lee that he should escort Team Seven to room 301 and disappeared shortly after, his Summon following a few moments later.

Lee then told Sasuke that he had been lying earlier… there was another genin, someone on his own team that was stronger than him and it was he whom Lee wished to defeat. The older boy also added that Sasuke had just been practice – but now he was a target and he would crush him. With that said Lee leaped back onto the platform on the higher floor and left.

"Well that was dramatic." Omega commented.

"Does anything ever faze you?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, I'm just good at hiding it when something does." Omega said with her trademark honesty.

Sakura shook her head and turned to Sasuke who was still struggling with his defeat.

"Oh Sasuke." Sakura said.

"Well look at that, looks like the Uchiha aren't so great after all." Naruto said.

"Shut up! Next time I'll drive him to his knees!" Sasuke growled.

"Yeah right, who just got his butt kicked?" Naruto said.

"That's enough! Just cut it out Naruto!" Sakura shouted.

"Sakura, give it a rest." Omega sighed "He's only saying the truth. Sasuke's no match for Lee at his current level."

"Not you too!" Sakura whined.

"You guys saw his hands didn't you, when he took off the tape?" Naruto asked quietly.

Omega thought back and remembered Lee's bruised and scarred hands.

"I bet old Bushy Brow has been training until he drops, day in and day out. He trains harder than you. That's all I'm saying." Naruto said.

Sasuke turned away from them, earning Sakura's concerned stare.

Finally he spoke "Fine, this is getting interesting. The Chunin Exams - can't wait to see what's next."

"Right!" Naruto agreed. Sakura and Omega smiled.

"Let's get started." The Uchiha said.

* * *

**Hoped you liked it. Hope you R&R!**

**Sign**

_**Snowlily246**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Hope you enjoy and please REVIEW! I want feedback. Also unfortunately due to the fact that I'm in my senior year and college is on the horizon I won't be updating as frequently, my deepest apologies. Oh and... PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT! I noticed that more and more people are following this story and while I am happy about that I Really want to read your opinions. So once again; PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!**

**Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto or its characters. I own only Omega, and her parents and uncle.**

* * *

Chapter 7

Team Seven walked up to the doors of room 301 to find Kakashi waiting for them.

"I'm glad you two came, for your sake and the others." He said looking at Sakura and Omega "Now you can all formally register for the Chunin Exams."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, voicing Omega's thoughts.

"You see the whole team needs to be present in order to compete in the exams. That's the way it's always been." Kakashi said.

"You said that the choice to participate was up to each of us individually." Omega reminded him.

"Yes I did." He admitted.

"Were you lying?" Sakura asked.

"In a way, it's true that it was up to you to participate, you could have decided not to come – but the decision you made would affect everyone. I didn't tell you because I didn't want the boys pressuring you to come, nor did I want you to feel obligated. I wanted you to make the decision of your own free will." Kakashi said.

"What about Omega? You mentioned her too." Sakura said.

"Omega is only a Leaf kunoichi out of circumstance; she has no real motivation to enter the exams since she probably won't be a ninja for long and will have no need to advance to chunin rank."

"If that's the case why did you come then?" Sakura asked Omega, voicing her other teammates' thoughts.

Omega shrugged "Lord Hokage convinced the council to agree into making me a kunoichi as a condition of staying here by mentioning that I'd make the village stand out in the Chunin Exams. It's basically because of it that I'm here so I came."

"So if the Old Man hadn't mentioned the exams you wouldn't have come?' Naruto asked, looking disappointed.

"No, I would have still come, to look after you and the others." She said.

It was silent as her words sunk in.

"Well… all this 'what if' stuff is a moot point. You're all here and for the right reasons." Kakashi said.

"Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, and Omega… I'm proud of you." The jonin added, the visible part of his face telling them he was smiling "I couldn't ask for a better team. Good luck."

With that the jonin stepped aside.

"We won't let you down Sensei, believe it!" Naruto said as he followed his team inside.

Once inside Team Seven was met with a… ominous surprise.

"W-what's this?" Naruto stammered.

"I guess we're not alone." Sakura said, clearly intimidated.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed while Omega viewed the obviously hostile competitors before them. All were quite a few years older than her teammates and herself. She could also feel a certain pair of pale blue eyes watching her.

_'So Gaara and his team have already arrived.'_ She mused as her teammates tried to get themselves together.

"Sasuke!" A girl's voice cried out. Omega turned and saw a girl dressed in purple grab the Uchiha from behind. She had blue eyes and long pale blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail with a protruding bang over the right side of her face.

She also possessed the same lovesick eyes for Sasuke as Sakura did.

Seeing Sakura getting angry Omega sighed and waited for the inevitable outburst.

"Hey you Porker back off he's mine!" Sakura shouted. The girl got off Sasuke and said "Miss Forehead they let you in? Still got those frown lines on your billboard brow I see."

"LEAVE MY FOREHEAD OUT OF IT!" Sakura shouted.

Stepping up next to Sasuke, Omega said "Do they ever ask you what you think about their rivalry?"

"No, but I've said what I thought often enough." Sasuke grunted.

"Well you have my probably unwanted sympathy. How do you not go deaf with all that shouting? You dealt with their arguments in the Academy with a bunch of other girls I bet, right?"

"Yes, and sometimes I wonder how I haven't gone deaf by now too." Sasuke muttered. Though he would never admit it he was glad that Omega was so understanding… and not harboring some ridiculous crush on him. There was also the fact that she was competent and capable both in and outside missions.

The girl then noticed Omega and froze, the first reason being; she was next to Sasuke who didn't look like he minded and the second; she saw that Omega was very pretty. Jealousy immediately took root in her and she wasted no time in acting on her emotions.

"Just who are you?" She demanded.

"Omega, I'm a new addition to Team Seven." Omega said.

"What kind of name is Omega?" The girl sneered.

"A unique one. What's your name?" The half demon responded.

_'Smart ass.'_ The girl thought as she said "My name is Ino Yamanaka."

Omega's lit up with interest, remembering things Iruka had taught her "Yamanaka as in the Yamanaka Clan?"

"Duh." Ino said rudely.

"Well it's nice to meet you." Omega said cheerfully, ignoring Ino's rudeness.

"Don't act like you're some Goody Two Shoes! Let's get this straight, Sasuke is mine!" Ino growled. Sakura yell of anger was ignored.

"You can have him. Sasuke's not my type so feel free to fight Sakura for him." Omega said yawning. When was the test going to start?

Ino's anger deflated like whoopee cushion and was replaced with disbelief. Sakura also quieted, she had known that fact from the start but it was still a surprise to hear Omega said it out loud – and in such a causal matter!

Naruto was watching the drama and wishing he had some ramen to eat while he did so. The expression on Ino's face was hilarious!

"Oh no not you guys." An irritated voice said. Two boys were walking toward them; the one who had spoken had his hair up in a way that made him resemble a pineapple. The second boy was a bit on the chubby side and had swirl marks on his cheeks. He was also eating potato chips.

"I knew it was gonna be a drag but I didn't know it would be this lame." The first boy said.

"So all three stooges are here?" Naruto shot back.

"You know what pipsqueak? Ah forget it you're a waste of time." The boy said.

Omega stepped forward and said "So you're Ino's teammates?"

Both boys turned to look at her and they both blinked at the same time. The first boy's expression was unreadable while the second boy had stopped eating his chips and had a light blush on his face.

Seeing they weren't going to answer Naruto spoke up.

"Yep, the boy eating the chips is Choji Akimichi and the other one is Shikamaru Nara the laziest boy you'll ever meet."

The aforementioned lazy one glared at Naruto for that remark.

Omega smiled slightly, her lips twitching.

Another team of genin approached, headed by a wildish looking boy with a white puppy on top of his hooded head. On his right was a girl with short bluish dark hair and pale white eyes like the boy from earlier, on his left was a second boy whose high collared jacket slightly blocked the bottom half of his face with dark sunglasses that covered his eyes.

"Well, well, it looks like the gang is back together again." The wildish boy said, his smile revealing sharper teeth than a human would normally have.

"Hi Naruto." The girl with white eyes said. She had a shy smile and blushed when Naruto looked at her.

_'She's got it bad.'_ Omega thought kindly _'Though Naruto seems oblivious.'_

"You too, man this is such a drag." Shikamaru grumbled.

"Yep here we are the nine rookies! Man this is gonna be fun!" Kiba said grinning before adding "At least, for those of us strong enough to make the cut, right Sasuke?"

"Kiba, be careful you don't get overconfident." Sasuke said smiling as Ino glared at the boy.

"Just wait, we're gonna blow you away, we've been training like crazy." Kiba boosted.

"And what do you think we've been doing, picking daisies? You don't know what real training is!" Naruto said angrily.

"Ah, don't mind Kiba, I'm sure he doesn't mean anything by it." The girl said pushing her index fingers together; she blushed again when Naruto looked at her.

"What are your names?" Omega asked looking at them. The new arrivals noticed her for the first time. The girl looked surprised, the boy with sunglasses' expression didn't change, Kiba's eyes lit with interest as his puppy barked.

"I- I'm Hinata Hyuga." The girl said.

_'Hmm, so she must be related to Neji in some way, they're both from the Hyuga Clan.'_ Omega thought.

"Shino Aburame." The boy with sunglasses said.

"I'm Kiba Inuzuka and this is Akamaru!" Kiba said grinning. Akamaru barked.

"I'm Omega." The half demon said "Pleasure to meet you."

Akamaru sniffed at her eagerly, leaning forward and almost falling off Kiba's head and landing into Omega. Thankfully he kept his balance.

"Sorry about that, looks like Akamaru really likes your scent." Kiba said who was thinking the same. She smelled like winter – like frost and snow… along with a very unique smell he couldn't pinpoint.

"It's okay." Omega said.

As they were talking, Choji who had his eyes on Akamaru stepped forward only to be cut off by Shino.

"What do you want? What's wrong?" Choji said. Shino looked down and Omega saw a bug hurry as fast as its legs could carry it out of the path of Choji's foot.

"Thought maybe you hadn't seen it, didn't want you stepping on it." Shino said.

"Why, you going to eat it for lunch?" Choji said rudely.

Omega raised an eyebrow and said "Everyone's stepping on toes today."

Before anyone could comment on that someone else spoke.

"Hey, you might want to keep it down a little, I mean no offence but you're the rookies' right, fresh out of the Academy?"

The speaker was a boy who looked a bit older than them, with ash grey hair in a low ponytail and glasses over black eyes. His headband bore the Hidden Leaf symbol.

"I wouldn't go making a spectacle of yourselves. Just cool it, this isn't a class fieldtrip." He continued.

"Well who asked you? Who are you anyway?" Ino demanded.

"I'm Kabuto Yakushi, but really, look around you; you've made quite the impression." He said.

Omega didn't look at the other genin like her comrades did, knowing he right, besides she was more interested in what Kabuto wanted with them.

Kabuto remarked that everyone was tensed because of the exams and it wouldn't be wise to rub them the wrong way at the moment. He added that they couldn't help it though since they were rookies and that they reminded him of himself a while back. When asked by Sakura he admitted that this was his seventh time taking the exams.

Then he introduced them to his Ninja Info Cards. Kabuto explained that he had gathered information on the candidates during his four years taking the exam and that he had put them on the cards. They appeared blank until he added his chakra and revealed what was engraved onto them. Kabuto explained the purpose of the exams and that this year's crop of candidates was the most talented he had ever seen in as a candidate himself.

Sasuke then stepped forward and asked if Kabuto had any information on individual candidates. When he said yes and asked Sasuke if he had anyone in mind the Uchiha supplied two names.

Rock Lee and Gaara of the Desert.

Omega tensed wishing Sasuke would not take such an interest in Gaara as an opponent.

"That's no fun you even know their names that makes it easy." Kabuto said and pulled out a card from the deck. It was Rock Lee's information.

Kabuto read the information out loud, revealing that Lee was a year older than them and while his taijutsu was impressive, and his other skills were a bit shaky.

When he revealed Lee's teammates Omega saw a strange emotion in Hinata's eyes for a moment when Neji was mentioned.

Next up was Gaara.

Kabuto said he didn't have much information on him other than he was a genin from the Sand and his teammates were Temari and Kankuro. There was also one more piece of information that left everyone besides Omega unnerved.

Gaara had come back from all his missions without a scratch on him… one of which was ranked as a B level in difficulty.

Speaking of Gaara Omega could still feel his presence though he had stopped staring for now.

Kabuto also added that while all the villages had sent exceptional genin the Sound Village was small – it sprung up recently and no one knew much about it.

Naruto was shaking and Omega saw Sakura staring at the blonde jinchuriki with uncharacteristic concern for his behavior.

"You don't seem shaken up." Kabuto commented looking at Omega. She looked at him evenly not trusting him for one second.

But she didn't need to let him know that.

"I've been through worse." was all she said.

"I bet you have, you know I think you're the first half demon to compete here in twenty years – at least." He said.

There were intakes of breath and gasps from the Konoha genin as well as those that were close enough to hear.

_'So much for keeping that quiet.'_ Omega thought. She had hoped to use that to her advantage, and let the other teams underestimate her.

"You don't say?" Omega said dryly as some foreign genin glared at her with much more ferocity than before. Others held faces of unable-to-suppress curiosity.

"…I guess I should have kept my mouth shut on that one." Kabuto said mildly.

"Too late now, forget it, it's done." She said thinking that if the glares got any more powerful in intensity they could cut through steel.

"Well, that explains why your scent is so different." Kiba commented a bit weird out by all the sudden hostility aimed at his new friend.

_'And why she has such darn good looks!'_ Ino thought a bit enviously, thinking of Omega's pale flawless skin and her graceful way of walking. The blonde was completely ignoring the glares as she thought of herself possessing some of Omega's physical qualities.

Before anything else could be said Naruto spoke – or rather shouted.

"My Name Is Naruto Uzumaki and I'm Gonna Beat Every One of You, Believe it!" He shouted.

Omega could hear Kakashi chuckling out in the hall… which was exactly what she was doing in the room.

"What's that idiot trying to do get us killed!?" Ino screamed at Sakura like it was her fault.

_'I should have known, he's not smart enough to be afraid.'_ Sakura thought.

"Tell your boyfriend to keep his big fat trap shut!" Ino added.

Sakura snapped, getting in Ino's face and shouting "Excuse me, whose boyfriend?"

"Oh I forgot you can't get one!" Ino shouted.

"What did you say!?" Sakura shouted.

"Yeah, I feel a lot better now!" Naruto said, grinning widely.

Then the consequences of his words rolled in as the other genin looked at the rookies with open contempt.

"Excuse me could you say that a little louder I didn't quite catch it." Kiba said sarcastically.

"Idiot, do you want everyone here to hate us?" Shikamaru grumbled.

"I think they hated us long before Naruto let his emotions out." Omega commented.

Sakura, apparently not hearing or ignoring her teammate's remark, proceeded to grab Naruto in a head lock and shout at him, she then tried to explain away Naruto's behavior to the stone faced genin only to be met with glares.

As Sakura released Naruto and kept yelling at him the Sound Ninja attacked.

Omega looked over her shoulder; eyes narrowed noting that Kabuto was looking in the same direction.

As the first Sound Nina leaped in the air above Kabuto he threw kunai which the latter easily dodged. The second Sound Ninja punched Kabuto with an arm that had something strange on it.

Kabuto dodged it easily smirking but Omega winced, holding her an ear and noticing Kiba wince as well as Akamaru whined. The next moment Kabuto's glasses broke and he leaned over, throwing up on the floor.

_'They're the ones that were spying on the others a few days ago and they use high pitched sound waves.'_ Omega thought grimly. Out of all fighting methods that one annoyed her the most. She couldn't even use her water style attacks to their full extent because sound could travel through that element.

Naruto and Sakura rushed to Kabuto's side as the sound ninja in the middle –Dosu if she remembered correctly – spoke.

"Not such a tough guy after all, huh? Right, maybe that's why he's on his seventh try." Dosu said.

"Write this in your little cards punk. The genin from the sound will be chunin when this is over, guaranteed." The one with spiked up hair said.

Before any more conflict could occur there was a poof from the front of the room and older ninja appeared.

"All right you baby faced degenerates pipe down and listen up!"

"It's time to begin, I'm Ibiki Morino your proctor and from this moment your worst enemy." The ninja in the front said. His face was scarred and he had a bandanna style headband covering his head.

The candidates were clearly intimidated, Omega silently watched as Ibiki told the sound ninja off for fighting before the test had even begun. The proctor then made it clear that no one was allowed to fight without permission from their proctor and even then no fatal force; Ibiki was quite blunt and said that anyone breaking these rules would be disqualified immediately.

Then he started to prepare them for the first test. All the genin gave in their paperwork and in return were given a number, which would indicate were they would sit for the written test. Naruto shouted in horror when one of the chunin who had been guarding the door revealed a stack of papers, it was no secret that he was awful at written test. The chunin that had arrived with Ibiki sat in chairs on the left and right side of walls, surrounding the genin.

_'They want to separate the members of each team.'_ Omega noted as she walked to her own seat which was a good distance away from her own teammates. Ironically enough Gaara ended up sitting in front of her, and the half demon saw Temari staring at her a few rows behind, clearly recognizing her. Omega smiled at the sand kunoichi, confirming the girl's suspicions.

When everyone was seated Ibiki continued with the instructions. The test was on a point reduction system. Depending on the number of genin in each squad a certain number of points were needed to pass. The chunin on watching them would be looking for cheaters and would deduct two points for each attempt to cheat. If you were caught five times not only you were disqualified but your teammates as well. Also if one person on the team scored zero the entire team failed as well, they had an hour to complete it though the tenth question would be given fifteen minutes before the hour was up.

Omega saw Sakura bang her head on the desk and Naruto shiver no doubt feeling the pressure from Sasuke and Sakura. Hinata who had ended up sitting next to Naruto asked him something. Omega resolved to help him if she could.

The test began.

Omega looked through the questions and concluded she had no hope of answering all of them in time. Maybe she'd be able to answer one or two but that would take too much precious time. Sakura might be able to answer them but Naruto and probably Sasuke might not fare so well.

Closing her eyes Omega thought over what Ibiki had said to them.

_'Ibiki never said not to cheat… he's just making it difficult to cheat without getting caught. Huh, he's a sly one. This is to test our ability to gather information undetected. Let's see… first things first, I have to see who has the answers.'_

Opening one eye just a sliver Omega concentrated and allowed her sight to expand. Eventually she caught sight of one genin who was completely calm, and his heartbeat even and steady, unlike everyone else. His pencil slid on his test paper confidently. A brief scan of his paper told Omega he had a right to be so collected and she proceeded to memorize the answers and answer the questions on her own test paper.

The half demon eyed the clock and saw that there was still twenty minutes left before the tenth question was given out. This gave her time to figure out something for Naruto who she could see was sweating in no small amount. Biting her lip she considered her options.

Her Fire was out of the question, but maybe she could use water to help him out…

As she was thinking this the chunin started calling out genin who had gotten caught too many times, one even threw his kunai into a test paper of a genin behind Naruto. Omega then sensed Gaara's chakra flared ever so slightly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw he was calm and ignoring all the commotion as some genin had to be forcibly taken from the room.

A human eye created from sand appeared in Gaara's free hand, the other one being held over his left eye. He crushed the 'eyeball' and it floated in grains of sand around the room, obviously going to get him the answers.

_'Impressive…wait! That reminds me of something!'_ Omega thought, mentally grinning. Why hadn't she thought of it before, probably because it was too obvious? Summoning droplets of water from the atmosphere Omega created a small miniature wolf out of it, around the size of her hourglass, hardening it into ice. The girl then called forth a speck of her blue flames and sent it into the figure.

The wolf immediately animated, giving out a silent yawn and jumped off the desk and onto the floor to follow its mistress' bidding. Omega smiled to herself, after much training with this technique her flames could seeped into her ice figures and manipulate them for her, following her will with its connection to her emotions. Thankfully since this special type of fire thrived in the cold her ice figures were great vessels.

Meanwhile Naruto Uzumaki was regretting declining Hinata's offer to peek at her test. Just as he was about to just write something so his paper wouldn't be blank he saw it.

The miniature wolf leaped onto his desk and looked at him, Omega's Fire glowing softly inside it.

**_'Watch.'_**

Naruto started but could not see who might have said it, he then watched in awe as the wolf burst into a thin and short stream of… glowing water and started forming words on his desk, small but clear enough so he could see it. He looked it dumbfounded for a moment and then snapped to his senses, frantically writing down the answers.

Omega had just concluded Sasuke and Sakura weren't in need of her help with the test when her little wolf returned, she smiled in praise and it bowed slightly before its body once again turned into water that evaporated, the fire returning to her body….bringing with it a message.

**_'Thanks.'_** Naruto's voice whispered in her mind and she half smiled.

It was just in time too, because Ibiki just announced it was time for the tenth question.

However he didn't reveal it right away, instead he told them that they needed to know something first and said this; If they decided to skip the tenth question, then regardless of the answers for the first nine they had they'd get a zero and fail, along with their teammates. On the other hand, if they decided to risk it and take the tenth question but got it wrong, they'd never be able to participate in the Chunin Exam again.

There was an immediate uproar at his words and Omega leaned back in her chair, eyes narrowed.

_'Like he'd have the authority to make that kind of decision, he's bluffing… testing the nerve and resolve of the candidates probably. But then again there is the slim chance he might actually be telling the truth… well either way I'm staying, I haven't stayed alive this long by giving up.'_ She thought.

Omega felt her eyebrows rise upward when she saw Naruto raise his hand, Hinata was staring at the blonde in her seat beside him, clearly shocked.

_'No way….'_

Naruto slammed his hand onto the table when Ibiki took notice of him and stood in his seat.

"DON'T UNDERSTIMATE ME! I DON'T QUIT AND I DON'T RUN! YOU CAN TOUGH BUT YOU'RE NOT GONNA SCARE ME OFF! I DON'T CARE IF I GET STUCK AS A GENIN FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! I'LL STILL BE HOKAGE SOMEDAY!"

Omega smiled, Sakura doing the same while Sasuke thought about how Naruto was clueless but still going for it, and acknowledged his teammate's nerve.

Then he added "AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I'LL DO IS FIRE YOU!"

Omega snorted. Sakura blanched and Sasuke felt his eye twitch.

Muffled laughter and giggles could be heard as Naruto sat down along with gasps of disbelief.

"This is a decision that can change your life, if you want to back down, now is your last chance." Ibiki said, not provoked in the least.

"No way, I never go back on my word, that's the way of the ninja." Naruto said.

Admiration and inspiration was clear in the faces of the other genin.

Ibiki looked around the room and saw that there was no hesitation or indecision in the faces of the remaining genin, seeing that no one else would be leaving Ibiki spoke up when the chunin on either side of the room nodded.

"Well I admire your determination if nothing else, now the only thing left for me to do is… to congratulate you all for passing the first exam!"

Omega leaned back into her chair – a bit smugly she had to admit to herself – as the other candidates went into an uproar again. Ibiki explained, his gestures and words less cold and more friendly.

To make a long explanation short the tenth question represented the difficult decisions chunin would have to make. It was a choice – to take the tenth question and endanger your chance of ever advancing, or play it safe and back out – but at the same time taking the choice from your teammates.

In a chunin's situation however the choice was playing it safe and rejecting a mission that was practically suicidal to protect yourself and your teammates or accepting the mission and risk the chance you and your team wouldn't come back.

In both the answer was to not back down, to not flatter in the face of adversity and complete your task with courage and discipline.

Omega cocked her head at a whoosh sound and saw Ibiki stared at the window to his right sharply a moment before whatever was making the whoosh sound broke through the glass and hurled into the room.

The dark cloth unfurled and was pinned to the ceiling with kunai as a woman unrolled from it. The cloth was a banner declaring;

_Here Comes Me:_

_Second Proctor_

_Anko Mitarashi!_

"I'll be your next proctor, Anko Mitarashi." Anko said as if they didn't see the huge banner with her name across it in big white letters.

"LET'S GO! FOLLOW ME!" Anko shouted as the genin just stared. Omega was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Konoha seemed to be filled with a lot of….interesting people.

"You're early, again." Ibiki said flatly as he stepped out from the banner's shadow. Anko flushed, clearly embarrassed. The jounin was a young woman dressed in mesh armor, a short skirt and long coat with hair tied up in a short spiky ponytail at the back of her neck.

Anko was surprised with the number of genin left, accusing Ibiki of going soft before promising that by the time she was done with them, half of the genin would be gone. This statement did not sit well with the genin.

She told them their jounin would tell them where to meet her tomorrow and dismissed them.

Omega stretched as she got up from her seat. The girl walked out of her row and she raised an eyebrow when she saw Temari was walking up to her.

"You're that girl… aren't you?" Temari asked wariness in her voice.

"Depends, whose 'that girl'?" Omega asked.

The sand kunoichi's eyes narrowed.

_'Hmm, seems Gaara does have a few things in common with his older sister and brother.'_ Omega thought.

"Yes, I'm Omega. Do you need anything? I didn't think you'd come up to me this soon." She said.

"…We were told you were dead."

Omega frowned and said "Apparently my death was an exaggeration. I'm very much alive."

"What about your mother?" Temari pressed.

Omega felt her expression close off and said coolly "She's dead, she's been dead for six years. It happened a few months after we were forced to leave Suna. Does that satisfy you? Why do you care anyway? You always avoided me and Gaara when we were children. The same went for my mother. You and the others wanted nothing to do with us."

Temari, realizing she was crossing into forbidden territory decided for the truth, Baki had told her to be honest anyway. It wouldn't endanger their other mission.

"Father was hoping to enlist your mother's services as a temporary replacement for a high ranking shinobi who was recently killed. He would have asked your uncle but we all know it's near impossible to track him down."

"I thought everyone in Suna thought Momma and I were dead." Omega said suspiciously.

"… Gaara told us about meeting you on the roof when we asked him where he had been a couple of days ago but that was all we got out of him. We sent word to Father who ordered us to find out if your mother was still alive as well." She said, managing not to fidget under Omega's soul piercing gaze.

_'I can't believe it, she's just staring at me but I feel like she's pulling out all of my secrets.'_ Temari thought.

"Well tell the Kazekage he's in tough luck." Omega said unceremoniously.

Temari pressed her lips together and said slowly "He also said that if your mother was really dead to request your aid instead."

"I refuse." Omega said flatly.

"You really hate us that much, don't you?" Temari asked. She couldn't help it being much too curious, for back in their childhood Omega had never shown such an emotion toward the people who ostracized her and her loved ones.

Omega looked at her with surprise and with her brutal honesty said "I never hated you or anyone else. Yes I was angry but I never hated anyone. I just don't respect you, or them. You know who I'm talking about."

Before Temari could respond to that an unexpected voice cut in.

"Stop harassing her and come. I want to leave." Gaara said his cyan eyes showing faint annoyance. Kankuro was by his side fidgeting awkwardly.

Obediently Temari walked up to him, she saw Omega immediately drop her cold exterior and nod to Gaara, a friendly smile on her face.

The sand jinchuriki frowned in return and looked only more annoyed before leaving without doing anything. His siblings followed him glancing at each other somewhat nervously.

"Omega, are you okay?" Sakura asked. The kunoichi and the rest of Team Seven had walked up to the half demon.

Omega smiled "I'm fine."

"What did she want?" Sasuke questioned.

The girl shrugged and said "Hell if I know, she's just an old acquaintance."

* * *

**Hoped you liked it!**

**Sign **

_**Snowlily246**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Really hope you all enjoy this. I've expanded a bit on Omega's past. Also for those worrying about Tiger's Sun, I'm working on a update.**

**Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto whatsoever nor its characters. I own only Omega, her family and half demon friends.**

* * *

Chapter 8

Omega yawned as she looked at the star filled sky, sitting down comfortably on the roof of the apartment she and Naruto shared. The half demon leaned backwards so she was on her back staring at the stars above her and smiled. So beautiful… and the humans were all asleep missing out on this, such a pity. Oh well, at least she didn't take the stars for granted. Who knew? Maybe one day the stars would disappear forever and no one would be able to say anything besides that they were little lights in the sky because they had never took the time to actually look.

Such a plain description would be an insult to the little glowing chips of diamond crowning the world.

A few dark scattered remains of clouds were still in the air, momentarily blocking some of the stars and the moon which hung in the sky like a single pearl in the heart of the night.

Omega ran a hand through her white hair, when she went to bed she let it out of its usual ponytail and allowed the silky looking mass to flow freely a few inches past her shoulders. At the moment she herself was dressed in a violet shirt with little snowflake designs decorating it and black shorts. Her wounded arms were still concealed with bandages along with her feet… though the latter also had violet socks covering it for warmth.

Owls hooting in their midnight hunt made the girl cock her head curiously, still lying on her back. She was just about to sit up when she became aware that someone was watching her.

_'Hmm, looks like he decided to come out.'_

Omega closed hers eyes and said "Hello Gaara." Soft footsteps drew nearer to her person, but she didn't open her eyes until she felt him standing right before her head, when she did open them she was greeted by a pair of cyan eyes.

"What brings you here?" Omega asked still lying down.

Gaara shifted on his feet and said nothing.

"Well don't talk all at once." Omega said with humor as she sat up and pushed a few strands of hair from her face.

"Sit down next to me if you want. I don't mind the company." She added.

Gaara, whose eyes had narrowed at Omega's previous words, stayed standing for a few moments before settling down a bit away from her.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither attempting a conversation. Surprisingly it was Gaara who broke the silence.

"I sensed something strange during the first exam and saw your creation. How were you able to do such a thing?"

Omega raised an eyebrow "You don't remember?"

The sand jinchuriki's hairless brows furrowed "What do you mean?"

"Back when we were children my mother would sometimes make little ice statues and filled them with her Fire so they could entertain us. She would make animals mostly. I remember that your favorite was the arctic wolf."

Gaara face grew difficult to read as he processed what Omega was telling him.

"What happened after I left Gaara…if it's not too much to ask than I'd like to know?" Omega said looking at her hands.

The boy's face smoothed over into his usual passive expression and he calmly told Omega what had transpired in Suna during her absence. By the time he had finished Omega wishing she had someone –namely the Kazekage- to pummel within an inch of his life.

"I can't believe it… Yashamaru saying all those horrible things to you… and worst of all trying to kill you…" Omega muttered.

Gaara said nothing to that because one, he had moved pass it and two he had not heard anyone say something…sympathetic toward him in a very long time. People usually focused more on the part where he killed his uncle, not what the man had said to him or that he had been trying to kill Gaara – who was only six at the time- first. It was, overwhelming to say the least thought he would never, for as long as he existed, give that feeling a voice.

_'Maybe I overestimated Yashamaru…'_ Omega thought biting her lower lip. Still… while she knew without a doubt that Gaara was telling the truth she also knew that something was off about it. Her memories of Yashamaru were positive ones and his eyes had never been filled with hate for his nephew or indifference. Sighing loudly the half demon resolved to think more on it at a later date.

Gaara suddenly stood up.

"Are you going already?" She asked with disappointment.

"I have other matters to attend to." Gaara responded, his back to her.

"Well feel free to come by again. I enjoy your company."

Those honest and kind words were too much for Gaara who felt the need to escape build up in him in a way he had never felt before. He left without looking back.

Omega stared at where he had been and said to herself "Maybe I was too honest… he must be weird out by me. I'm treating him like he's normal."

Then she got up and went back into the apartment.

**XXX**

That morning all the genin who passed the first exam were waiting outside the Forty Fourth Training Ground aka the Forest of Death.

It was not exactly a reassuring nickname.

Omega stared at the huge forest surrounded by reinforced metallic fence and was impressed to say the least. She figured it must have taken a while to form this particular training ground.

Anko was cheerful and very eager as she talked about the Forest of Death.

_'Hmm, she's quite the bloodthirsty one.'_ Omega thought knowing she'd have to be careful. As far as she knew the jounin at least had been informed about her parentage immediately besides the council and there was the probability that Anko had taken her into account when preparing the second test.

But there was an unexpected interruption before Anko could even begin to explain.

Konohamaru and his friends appeared again in their square box rock disguise. It was like watching a replay as Naruto ran back and forth before demanding the children to show themselves. Once again they had put too much gunpowder. After their introduction they revealed they were here to do an interview for the Academy newspaper.

When Anko remembered the Hokage mentioning the interview she gave her consent and declared a ten minute break.

Before Konohamaru began to interview Naruto he saw Omega approach along with Sasuke and Sakura.

He grinned widely "Hey it's you! What's up Beautiful?"

Omega blinked. Behind her Sakura looked confused.

"Are you talking to me?" She asked for confirmation.

"Yep! Don't go anywhere, we wanna interview you too!" He said cheerfully.

"Uh, okay." Omega said still surprised by the new nickname. Meanwhile Sakura acted calm though Inner Sakura was…less than pleased.

**_'CHA! I GET 'WIDE FOREHEAD' AND SHE GETS 'BEAUTIFUL'!? I'LL PUNCH THAT LITTLE BRAT INTO OBLIVION!'_** Inner Sakura shouted the black background engulfed with red flames.

Omega opted to be the last member of her team to be interviewed.

However her two male teammates were in the way, bickering as usual. Having reached her limit she calmly grabbed Sasuke and Naruto's foreheads and pushed them away from each other since the two had been getting in each others' face while Sasuke was doing his interview {and insulting Naruto}

"Now, now, boys." Omega said sweetly in a way that let everyone know she was getting irritated "You'll take up all their time, there are other ninja to interview here besides us you know."

Not surprisingly that gentle and sweet voice intimated her two teammates and they stopped arguing, though they still glared at each other. Sakura blinked and then resolved to learn how to do that herself. It looked useful.

Moegi stared at Omega with admiration; Udon was hiding behind Konohamaru who whistled.

"Huh, you're scarier than Sakura! All ya have to do is smile!" He said.

Omega smiled again though this time it was a genuine one and said "It's a trick I picked up to scare off the occasional petty criminal and such. Never fails to work."

"Can you teach me!?" Moegi begged. Konohamaru suddenly seemed nervous.

"After the exams we'll see." Omega said making a smile break across the younger girl's face.

"A-anyway, um, what's it been like in the village so far? And how do you think your team's gonna do in the second part of the exam?" Konohamaru said a bit hurriedly.

The half demon paused for a moment to consider her choice of words. After all it wasn't like most of the villagers welcomed her presence. In fact she was pretty sure that they'd celebrate when she left. But that would hardly be appropriate for the Academy newspaper.

"It's a… interesting experience to live in the Leaf." She admitted slowly, telling a half truth "There's a lot of amazing people. As for my team, I think we'll do fine. After all Sasuke's a prodigy, Sakura is intelligent and Naruto is unpredictable. That's a pretty dangerous combination if you use it the right way."

"What about you?" Udon asked.

"What about me?" Omega asked.

"What do you have to make that combination more dangerous?" He asked.

Omega paused and then smiled faintly, it was a very sad smile and her eyes had a faraway look in them.

"I have experience in how to stay alive in the most dangerous of situations. I'm… resourceful." She said but you could tell she was only half there, her mind more occupied with bittersweet memories.

Udon looked at her hesitatingly realizing he might have accidentally brought up something painful. He looked at Konohamaru who, thinking quickly, spoke up.

"Thanks for the interview guys! Our story's gonna be front page I just know it!" He said a bit loudly. Omega's eyes snapped back into focus as the rest of Team Seven nodded.

Omega's cheeks were a light pink as she said "You're welcome." No doubt she was mortified by her obvious display of nostalgia.

"Hey Omega, are you alright?" Sakura asked lowly as the students left to seek out other genin.

"I'm fine! I just – I just got distracted." She muttered; cheeks darkening. Not saying anything else she walked away.

Sakura stared after her.

"She looked like Iruka-sensei when he was thinking about ninja he knew that died." Naruto spoke up.

"What do you expect? Remember what we were taught in the Academy? It wasn't uncommon for half demons to be killed young. She's probably seen as much death as Kakashi has." Sasuke said.

"Omega has nightmares sometimes, she wakes up screaming and then she's awake for the rest of the night, after being in the shower for over an hour…I don't know what they were about since she wouldn't tell me but I think I can guess what they're about now." Naruto said unusually solemn.

A heavy silence fell over the three genin; they were pulled out of their thoughts by Omega herself.

"Anko is starting to explain." She said suddenly in front of them. Naruto yelped and fell on his butt.

Omega smiled.

"You should pay more attention." She teased walking to where the genin were gathering around Anko.

Naruto grumbled, ignoring Sasuke's smirk and Sakura's smile. When he got closer to the Forest he put his hand above his eyes to ward off the sun and try to get a better glimpse of it.

Sakura shuddered "Man, this place gives me the creeps."

Anko grinned "It should, after all it is called the Forest of Death and soon enough you're going to find out why."

Omega rolled her eyes as Naruto mocked Anko.

_'Idiot.'_ Omega sighed internally while the blonde jinchuriki repeated what the female proctor had said in a high pitched voice.

"Do your best! You're not gonna scare me away! I can handle anything!" Naruto shouted.

Anko smiled.

"Well it looks like we've got ourselves a tough guy." She said brightly. Then she threw a kunai which flew past Naruto's face leaving a shallow cut. The jounin appeared behind the blonde who was more than a little frazzled.

"Are you tough enough to handle this? You're not afraid are you?" Anko teased from behind Naruto. She had a hand on Naruto's shoulder and used the other to finger the blood flowing sluggishly from the cut as if to wipe it away.

"It's tough guys like you that usually leave their blood all over this forest." Anko added.

_'Yep, she's definitely bloodthirsty.'_ Omega thought, unfazed.

A grass ninja came up from behind Anko who pulled out a kunai in defense; but the grass ninja only held out the kunai she had thrown…with a ridiculously long tongue.

As Naruto had a mini freak out the Grass ninja said "I was just returning your knife."

"Why thank you Grass ninja… You know, I only recommended you stand this close behind me if you want to meet your premature end." Anko said taking back her kunai.

"My pardon." The Grass ninja said in a deceptively female voice "With the sight of blood and your knife slicing through my hair, I got a little… excited. I mean you no harm."

_'Looks like Anko isn't the only bloodthirsty one here.'_ Omega thought looking at the Grass ninja with mistrust. Her gut was telling her to stay as far away as possible from him. It was advice she intended to take.

Chuckling, the ninja walked back to his team as Anko said "Likewise."

Omega sneaked a peek at Sakura's expression which told her that the pinkette was unnerved by the grass ninja and Anko. The other genin had similar expressions, or at least most of them did anyway.

Their proctor finally started to explain what the test would involve.

As Anko explained it became clear that not everyone was going to make it out of the test alive – or at all. It was basically an 'all goes' battle.

The woman even handed them consent forums to sign so she wouldn't be held responsible if they died.

The test itself was pretty simple.

Half of the teams would be getting an 'Earth Scroll' while the other half would be getting a 'Heaven Scroll'. To pass the test a team had to reach the tower located in the center of the Forest of Death with all teammates accounted for and both scrolls with them which meant that at best only half of the teams would pass. This had to be accomplished within five days.

The time limit was a shock, it meant that all the teams would be spending at least five days in the forest and would have to try to survive on what they could find in the forest itself.

There were ways to get disqualified. One was if you lost a team member or said team member could not go on even if they were alive, another was if you tried to read what was written in the scrolls before you reached the tower.

"What if it just falls open and you happen to look at it?" Naruto asked.

"Let me put it this way young man. You. Don't. Want. To. Know!" Anko said making Naruto groan with dismay.

"There will be times when a ninja is asked to carry secret documents. The scroll rule is to test your integrity. All right we're done. After you sign your forums take them over there to exchange them for your scroll" Anko said motioning to the stand some distance away. "After that each team pick a gate and you'll be led inside." The jounin sighed before adding "Oh and I have one more piece of advice… Just don't die!"

Omega read through her forum fairly quick and signed it in a surprisingly elegant and graceful script. She only put her first name though since her father had no actual last name and her mother's family name - 'Kaneko'- had been taken away when she had decided to choose Omega's father over her own prejudiced father. Therefore Omega technically didn't have a family name.

Yawning the half demon decided to walk around while she waited for her team to finish going through their consent forums.

She caught wind of Ino and Sakura arguing again but continued on, when she came upon a sturdy looking tree the girl leaped upward and got comfortable on a wide and stout branch, making herself comfortable.

Omega thought back on the memories she had been recalling during the interview, the ones of her dead comrades and second family. As their faces formed in her mind she sighed.

The first was Akiyo. He had always worn a serious solemn expression that rarely changed. His dark hair and even darker eyes fitted with his expression, he had had large canines, and his nails were long like claws. The only other thing hinting at his demon heritage had been the red marks on his wrist. He had been fourteen and the leader.

The second was Daichi, he had possessed an rambunctious personality though he was also one of their groups' more powerful fighters and shared the unofficial second in command position with Omega herself. The boy's eyes were golden with cat like pupils. With his messy short brown hair and a tan complexion only his eyes gave away his identity. He had been fifteen.

Then there were the little ones.

Sweet little Gakuto, he had been eight years old, two years younger than Omega was at the time, he was the little genius and a good natured child despite his hard life. The boy had small, goat like horns sticking out of his lavender hair, a dark complexion, and wide eager- to-please light violet eyes.

Gakuto's younger twin sister, Chiya looked exactly like her brother except that her hair was longer, her features feminine and her own eyes while the same color, did not possess Gakuto's eager-to-please light. Instead they had a rather melancholy vibe, even when she was happy.

The last member of the group had been seven year old Hamako.

Omega had loved all of the members of her 'pack' but she also had a special attachment to Hamako. Like Omega, the girl's human parent, her father, had died protecting her during a demon attack leaving her alone. Unfortunately for Hamako, her demon mother had not cared much for her human partner or the half demon child they had together. She had given Hamako to her father after she had been born and never returned, not even to visit.

Hamako had sandy blonde hair up in two little pig tails and very bright green eyes. There were markings on her cheeks, little lines like war paint almost and a pair of small, still developing tan wings on her back. They had only been able to carry her up in the air for a few moments at a time.

The days with them had been harsh somewhat due to their constant battle for survival but they had also been happy ones. Omega cherished her memories of them no matter how much they hurt.

The only reason Omega had survived the surprise attack on their camp had probably been because she had gone to hunt for a considerable amount of meat. Some other half demons had been close by, ones they knew and were well acquainted with so Omega had volunteered to get enough meat to feed them for when they eventually dropped in.

It had taken over an hour to hunt down the deer she had been tracking and much less than that to kill them and carry the kills back to camp.

What she had found there would haunt her for the rest of her days.

Omega shuddered and rubbed her upper arms. Compare to the carnage she usually saw the state of the campsite and her friends had been unusually…clean. The girl drew a small comfort from the fact that, whatever demon had done it, no matter how monstrous and cold-hearted he or she might have been, had not tortured the half demons to death and that the deaths themselves were swift. Gakuto, Chiya, and Hamako had been killed in a single blow, so quick she was sure they hadn't even had time to realize what had happened. Akiyo and Daichi had some wounds from fighting but the death blows themselves were also quick.

The half demons that Omega had been hunting for stumbled upon the scene.

Of course they had felt some guilt. The reason Omega's group had settled there was to greet them and catch up on news. Omega herself was too consumed by grief to correct them at first, and had numbly started the difficult task of collecting the bodies and salvaging what she could from the ruined camp. The others had helped as well.

After straightening the camp and preparing the bodies for the Burning that would take place the next day Omega started to cook dinner using the deer meat.

Kaede, a half demon in her early twenties who use to travel with Omega's group before joining her present one had objected at first, but when it became clear that keeping her hands busy was the only thing that kept Omega hanging on by a thread, she let it go, chewing her lower lip.

Kaede's group consisted of three more half demons. One was Kaede's little brother; Hisoka, the reason she had left the old group. Both siblings had deep blue eyes, dark skin and short black hair along with small fangs, inherited from their wolf demon father, which they were able to hide with relative ease.

The last two members were also boys.

The first one's name was Arashi, he was lean with ash grey hair tied back in a tight ponytail and dark grey eyes. His fangs and pointed ears made his demon heritage obvious if not covered. He was the 'leader' of his group so to speak and seventeen years of age, making him younger than Kaede and Little Fighter while older than Hisoka.

Little Fighter's name was a bit of a misnomer, he was easily almost twice as big as the average bear and had rock hard red skin. The boy though had inherited his mother's human brown eye color. Little Fighter had explained that back in his childhood he had been small, most likely because he had been born prematurely and it was why he had been named 'Little Fighter' since no one had expected him to survive when in fact he did. However once he had hit thirteen, he shot up like a super weed, thus the 'Little' part of his name became a bit of a pun. But Little Fighter had had not minded and insisted he still be called by his birth name. He was nineteen.

After a quiet, somber, dinner everyone besides Omega fell asleep who kept watch. Any attempt on her part to fall asleep only ended in horrific nightmares.

The next morning, Arashi and Little Fighter carried a huge table like pyre that the latter had built into a decent sized clearing after which they placed the bodies on its surface which was covered with hay. Flowers were placed in the deceased half demons' hands and around their bodies and Omega placed the Tear Gems she had shed the night before among the flowers. No words were said.

Omega sang her song softly; it was one that her mother had taught her, her voice growing more haunting and mournful as she used her Fire and set the pyre alight with blue flames. She did not stop singing until everything – pyre and bodies – had burned to ashes that were carried away with the wind, and into freedom.

They marked the spot with a wooden board that had the names of those lost carved into it. Two days later Omega went off on her own only to meet her uncle six months later.

Omega rubbed a palm over her eyes tiredly, feeling old and wondering if this was how you felt after experiencing loss after loss.

"Hey Omega! Come on, they're handing out scrolls!" Sakura called out.

Relieved at the chance to keep her mind busy she jumped from the tree, startling the pinkette slightly, and they joined the boys at the stand. After they collected their scroll Team Seven waited outside Gate Twelve.

It was silent for a few moments as the guard looked at his watch and unlocked the gate but did not open it. Then Anko's voice was heard.

"ALRIGHT HEADS UP YOU MAGGOTS! THE SECOND PART OF THE TEST HAS BEGUN!"

The gate swung open immediately and Team Seven launched themselves into the trees without delay.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it. And you'll find out the song Omega sang at the funeral soon.**

**Sign**

_**Snowlily246**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Read and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters. I own only Omega, her family, Miwa, and Mika.**

* * *

Chapter 9

The Forest of Death was dark and creepy but Omega was use to an entirely different and higher level of dark and creepy and wasn't affected by it much… though her guard was up since she didn't know what to expect from the forest. Her friends were a bit more vulnerable to the influence of the woods….besides Sasuke of course.

At the moment Team Seven had landed on the ground and were planning their next move after getting some distance from the gate. When screams started to crop up in the distance Sakura and Naruto got unnerved. Sasuke just narrowed his eyes.

"It sounds like someone screaming." Sakura whispered.

Meanwhile Omega said calmly "It appears that the fighting has begun."

Birds flew from their perches in the trees, startled by the screaming, cawing ominously.

"I do not like this place." Sakura said.

"Oh come on! There's nothing to be scared of, everything is gonna be a piece of cake!" Naruto said, getting over his uneasiness quickly. A moment later he added "Huh sorry guys but I really gotta…"

Omega grimaced when she realized he was going to the bathroom – in front of them.

_'At least his back is turned.'_ She thought as Sakura pounced on the blonde before he could unzip his pants.

"Yeah right! Not in front of me you don't! What do you think this is a kennel? Find a bush or something!" Sakura screeched.

Naruto did as she said with his tail between his legs and a bump on his head the size of an almost too big chicken egg. Sasuke just watched with defeated acceptance.

Omega yawned lazily as she and the others waited for Naruto to return.

Then he did and Omega immediately tensed. She had her back to the blonde and while his voice was correct his footsteps were all wrong. The half demon looked over her shoulder and sure enough the boy's appearance switched for a brief instant and she saw a genin from the Rain Village with messy brown hair and some strange device over his mouth.

"Man that was a lot, I wrote my whole name!" The fake laughed, playing his part convincingly.

"You are such a pig Naruto!" Sakura screamed, keeping her voice lowered though to avoid alerting nearby enemies to their location.

Omega caught Sasuke's eye and they both shared a knowing look. She nodded slightly, telling him he could handle this if he wanted to. The Uchiha nodded back and then lunged forward, punching the fake across the face.

Sakura gasped, having not caught on to the deception.

The imposter landed into a tree before sliding to the ground, groaning.

"Sasuke, it wasn't that bad, don't you think that was going overboard?" The kunoichi said to her crush.

"Yea, what the heck was that about?" The Rain Mist asked. He gasped and ducked when the only answer he received from the Uchiha was a kick.

The game of Cat and Mouse went on for a few minutes with 'Naruto' trying to evade Sasuke. Dodging blows and even leaping onto a tree branch to escape, though Sasuke easily caught up and forced him to jump sloppily to the group, getting a face full of dirt.

"You better watch out guys, I think Sasuke's gone crazy." The Rain Ninja said.

"Yeah right, I just struck before you could!" Sasuke said, taking out a kunai and lunging forward again.

"Sasuke no!" Sakura shouted, when he didn't listen she turned to Omega.

"Why are you just standing there? Do something!" She shouted.

"Sasuke has it under control." Omega said, keeping herself on alert in case the imposter's teammates were nearby.

"Under control? He's attacking Naruto!" Sakura protested.

"Sakura, look at him, don't you notice something off about Naruto?" Omega said.

Sakura frowned.

"Take a look at him Sakura." Sasuke insisted. He and the fake had withdrawn from fighting for the moment, each holding a kunai and staring at each other with caution.

"Talk, what have you done with Naruto?" The Uchiha demanded. Sakura gasped understanding at once.

"What are you talking about? I am Naruto!" The fake said.

"Then where is the cut on your cheek?!" Sasuke demanded.

The imposter paled.

"I guess you didn't know that the real Naruto got a cut on his face right before the exam. And you also have your shuriken holster on you left leg not your right but the real Naruto is right handed! You're transformation skill is worse than Naruto's. Tell me who you are!"

Omega was impressed… and not surprised but still impressed. Sasuke had good life saving observation.

Seeing that there was no hope of convincing him otherwise the fake let the jutsu go and reverted to his normal appearance.

"You got me, so what? I'm still gonna get your scroll. Now hand it over, or else." The Rain ninja threatened.

Sakura withdrew a kunai from her pouch while Omega shifted her feet for better footing.

"So, which one of you has it?" He demanded.

The members of Team Seven said nothing.

"Huh, fine! I guess I'll just have to take you all out!" The Rain ninja shouted and ran forward.

_'Either he's a cocky and arrogant human way over his head or he doesn't consider Sakura and me much of a threat. It's probably both.'_ Omega thought.

Sasuke performed his signature fire style technique which drove the Rain ninja into the trees, he chased after him and Omega was quickly following them.

Her sharp ears picked up Naruto's screaming for help along with his thanks you after Sasuke apparently freed him.

The Rain Ninja threw kunai at Sasuke who dropped, holding onto the branch he had been sitting on only to see an unwanted surprise among the weapons embedded into the wood.

"Paper bomb!" He cursed just a moment before it went off. Sasuke managed to land on his feet but then the ninja was right behind him with a kunai at his neck, once again demanding for the scroll.

Sakura came at that moment and gasped when she saw the situation.

However Naruto came to his teammate's rescue, throwing a kunai at the enemy forcing him to back off.

When Rain ninja landed on the branch he had jumped for, Omega was there to greet him.

"Hey." She said from behind him. The ninja turned a kunai at the ready but she was much too fast for him and easily blocked the attack before kneeing him in the gut and punching him in the face. The force sent him upward from the branch. Omega leaped after her opponent and reappeared behind the stunned genin, delivering a kick that had him hurling to the ground in front of Sasuke and Naruto.

The Rain ninja could feel the bruises forming and what he didn't doubt were bruised ribs when he forced himself to his feet as Sasuke took the initiative and attacked him.

His relaxes where slow though and within a minute of the fight Sasuke had stabbed him.

"Sasuke, are you alright!?" Sakura called out, running to him.

"Don't just stand there Sakura! Chances are this guy isn't alone! Watch out! The others could strike any second now!" He shouted back, his Sharingan activated and alert. Omega meanwhile had landed beside Naruto, and for once the blonde was not startled.

"I wish! I came on my own to avoid suspicion - big mistake!" The Rain ninja gasped, leaping backwards into the air and escaping.

After that mess Team Seven regrouped and sat in a circle to discuss what they should do. Sasuke headed the conversation which wasn't much of a surprise.

"That proves that we can't just trust appearances. We have to come up with a way to tell each of us is who we say we are and not just some imposter using a transformation jutsu." The Uchiha said.

Omega shrugged and said "I'll be able to see through the transformation jutsu – or any genjutsu an imposter might try to use so I don't have to worry too much about telling if someone is who they say they are. And unless the transformation jutsu is considerably strong my eyes will be able to see through it."

"That's good for you but the others and I aren't lucky to have that ability like you do; besides someone could try to impersonate you." Sasuke said.

"Alright, so what do we do?" Sakura asked.

"We'll use a password." Sasuke said.

"What kind of password?" Naruto asked.

"A secret one, something known only to the four of us and don't trust anyone who doesn't know it, no matter what." He paused for a moment and then spoke again. "Now listen closely because I only want to say this once. The question will be; when does a ninja strike? And the answer will be; a ninja will wait until the time is right. When the enemy sleeps and drops his guard, when his weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night that is the time for a ninja to strike. Got it?"

Sakura nodded "I got it."

Omega nodded as well, looking at Naruto and seeing his expression she knew he had definitely not gotten it.

"You got one a little shorter?" The blonde asked. Sakura growled lowly.

"No Naruto, that's it." Sasuke said.

"Come on Naruto, what's wrong? Didn't you get it? I memorized it easy." Sakura said.

"Not everyone can memorize something perfectly like you Sakura." Omega pointed out, an odd feeling in her gut. Something wasn't right. Naruto quickly tried to cover up his confusion while Sakura's mouth snapped shut at the half demon's reminder.

"Alright then, I'll take the scroll." Sasuke said getting to his feet. The others followed suit.

"Wait a minute Sasuke, I - ouch!" Naruto said. A thin cut appeared on his other cheek. Omega tensed, the hair on the back of her neck standing up.

"What was that?" Naruto asked.

There was silence for a few moments… then a powerful assault of wind hit them, blowing the genin in different directions.

**XXX**

Naruto groaned as he sat up, his head having hit the tree straight on. As his vision cleared he looked around and saw a limp form not too far away with white hair.

"Hey, Omega!" He called out running over to her, when she didn't stir he quickened his pace.

As soon as he got to her the boy turned her over. Blood ran down the side of her face from a gash near her hairline and her eyes were closed.

_'She's out of it.'_ Naruto thought. He looked at the gash again and winced, Omega would definitely have a killer headache when she woke up.

Naruto looked around unsure of what to do; he noticed a broken tree branch on the ground with a bit of blood and realized it was what Omega must have been hit with.

_'I should cover the wound at least.'_ He thought, but the boy didn't have anything like a clean cloth on him and he was sure his dirty and torn orange jacket wouldn't cut the bill. Worried he examined the injury again and felt his jaw drop.

Right before his eyes the gash was healing, the skin knitting back together quickly and, within a few minutes, the place where it had been was once again pale smooth and flawless skin covered with blood that a newcomer would guess belonged to someone else.

"Wow…" He breathed and grew hopeful. Maybe this meant she would awake up soon. However an ominous shadow fell over him before Omega could awaken, Naruto turned and gasped.

"W-w-w-wow! T-that's one huge snake!" he gasped. The snake – whose body was easily as long as the smallest of the huge trees in the Forest – nosedived. Naruto took Omega under his arm and dodged. The girl was still unconscious but her face twitched slightly, a shadow of awareness.

Naruto dodged another attack from the Snake but while he was in midair its tail came crashing down on him. The force made him let go of Omega reflexively who was quickly caught by the snake. Its tail was wrapped around her waist, holding her limp body close to its face. She groaned quietly, her consciousness flaring again.

"Hey! Let her go!" Naruto shouted getting back on his feet.

The Snake looked at the blonde with annoyance in its golden eyes.

Before Naruto could make a move the Snake nosedived once more and swallowed him whole. Having gotten rid of the distraction it focused its attention on Omega again, ignoring the cries of anger and disgust coming from its 'stomach'. They would end soon enough.

Its tongue flickered out, tasting the air and getting a wisp of Omega's chakra which was what had attracted its interest. The chakra was strange…but in a fascinating way. He decided to wait a moment or two before swallowing her as well. Her chakra was quite...soothing.

* * *

**Omega's Mind scape:**

_Meanwhile Omega was having a very strange conversation in her mind, which was most of the reason that she hadn't woken up yet despite all the commotion._

_The girl sat crossed legged on snow covered ground not cold in the least and before her stretched an endless sea of still water. The sky was gray and raining down snowflakes that would burst into small ice-blue, white tipped flames before evaporating with a quiet hiss when they landed on the snowy ground or the still water._

_Suddenly ripples appeared in the water some distance away and Omega looked at them as they drew nearer expectantly. She was not afraid for this being had shown itself many times in her short life and if she had something to say – even in the middle of a battle – Omega knew she had to either make time to listen or the beast would rain down hell on her… in the form of a massive headache._

_And there were few things Omega despised as much as 'those' headaches._

_In response to the ripples that represented the foot prints of the invisible beast the snowflakes still falling erupted into the small blue flames that they would turned into when they made contact with the surface and rushed toward the empty space above the ripples, coming together to create something._

_Almost at once a body started taking shape. First it was the four paws that created the ripples then upward for the long delicate looking legs. The body finished forming and then the head with a long slender snout followed by the snowy white ears that twitched occasionally._

_The wolf stopped right before Omega, just at the edge of the water where one more step would have put her on land._

_"Omega." The wolf said, blinking once._

_"Lady Mika." The girl responded respectfully._

_The wolf's eyes glimmered with amusement. The eyes were an electric blue; and they glowed with the Inner Fire._

_"You need not address me as Lady, my child; we are and always will be equals." Mika said._

_"Sorry, it's a habit." Omega said fidgeting slightly. It was silent for a moment as Mika causally licked a front paw and knowing better than to interrupt her Omega took the time to admire the wolf._

_Mika's fur was white – though one could hardly tell it was fur and not bright light because it was in flames. Since the fur was long the ends danced in the wind, the source of their movement the blue flames over Mika's body, the edges of the fire licking the air and occasionally making contact with a falling snowflake which hissed and became part of the fire instead of evaporating._

_The most interesting part of her though was her tail – or tails depending on how someone would categorize it/them._

_The number of tails was constantly changing in the blink of an eye. First there was one long white tail also engulfed in flames with loose hair swaying in the fire. Then the next moment there were two tails, then three, then four, then five, then six, then seven, then eight, then nine, and finally ten. When the number of tails reached ten it stayed in that state for a few seconds longer than the others before reverting back to one tail. The process would start over from there._

_It left Omega in awe when she saw it happen._

_When Mika deemed the paw she had been tending to be in adequate condition she turned her attention back to Omega and seemed to be considering how to word what she was about to say._

_"Child, I felt the chakra of Shukaku and Kurama when you encountered them and I have been thinking deeply about how to tell you what I am about to say." Mika spoke._

_Omega nodded, listening patiently._

_"Omega, your mother, the previous one to hold this power and whom my consciousness resided in before she brought you into this world was special even by my standards. Though she was a human she possessed the Spark that lit the Flames of the Inner Fire that had been lying dormant in her mother's family for generations."_

_Omega frowned "Forgive me but I don't understand what you are trying to say."_

_"Allow me to continue." Mika said and then started again. "You already know that I share a…special connection to the Tailed Beast. To them I embodied Life and Love. I countered back when they started to get out of hand and kept them in line, calmed them and settled disputes. I won't go into detail now for many reasons but to make a long story short a certain… incident….rendered my body and heart severely weakened. At that time there was a girl who was also ill, her name was Miwa Otsutsuki."_

_"Who was she?" Omega asked curiously._

_Mika took a deep breath looking a bit uncertain which, for her, was a little out of character. The wolf looked at Omega and sighed._

_"You're going to find out sooner or later." Mika muttered and looked at the half demon a bit sternly._

_"What I am about to tell you must not be repeated to just anyone. It could have potentially damaging repercussions." She warned._

_"I understand." Omega said._

_Appearing satisfied with those words Mika said seriously "Miwa was the youngest child and only daughter of the Sage of the Six Paths – who as you know would also be called the Father of Ninja."_

_Omega was stock still for a moment before managing to choke out "B-but I thought the Sage only had two sons!"_

_"Knowledge of Miwa's existence was allowed to fade over time in an attempt to protect her and her descendants. Though not many know specifically how many children the Sage had – or that he had children at all." Mika smiled sadly. "Miwa…she was very friendly toward me and the other Tailed Beast. She always asked after our wellbeing from her father and how we were doing."_

_"How did the Sage know you and the other Beast?" Omega questioned puzzled._

_"That information will be revealed at a later date my child. Anyway when the Sage was on his deathbed he appointed his younger son as his successor due to his belief that love was necessary for peace. The older son who believed power was necessary for peace was consumed with jealousy."_

_"Wasn't the older son supposed to be the Sage's successor since he was older?" The half demon questioned._

_"This was special circumstance and besides, the firstborn right thing wasn't as…valued, as it came to be after some time had passed. Back to the topic though, after their father died the older son fought the younger for the inheritance he felt was his and only Miwa could stop their arguments and battles. Her efforts bore a tensed and uneasy peace that nearly broke a few times between the brothers. This took a great emotional toll on Miwa and a year after her father's death, during one of her brothers' fights; she got caught in the middle and was critically wounded. At the time, as I said earlier, I was sick as well…or to be blunt I was dying. Due to the fact I probably would die anyway and that I was her last hope I bonded myself with Miwa's soul and body, her heart and mind. It ended up saving us both. I became her Inner Fire and she became my vessel, the only thing keeping me alive. The brothers made a much better effort to be at peace with each other after that incident. Two years later she married and became pregnant. By this time her brothers had once again started to fight and when she attempted to calm them the older brother declared that he would not be convinced otherwise again and told her she had to make a choice."_

_Omega held her breath, anxious to hear the conclusion._

_Mika's eyes grew sorrowful and she added sadly "My poor little Miwa, she was so distressed. The girl felt she had failed her father and to make matters worse the pregnancy was taking a great toil on her body." The demon's eyes narrowed. "Her brothers were of little help! The worse her condition grew the more they argued and fought bitterly, blaming the other, thankfully they tried to be civil with each other when in her sight. Finally, one day, after many hours of childbirth Miwa brought a baby girl into the world who she named Kagome. But the damage that had been done to her was too great! Her guilt for being unable to bring peace between her brothers combined with the stress of the pregnancy and the harsh childbirth ended her life. What happened next I witnessed from Kagome."_

_Omega looked away as Mika collected herself, feeling bad for the wolf demon. It was obvious that Miwa had been family to her._

_After a moment Mika continued "Her death pushed the older brother over the edge. The younger brother attempted to form some sort of peace with the older brother to honor his sister's memory but the older brother – mad with grief – blamed his younger brother for her death and declared full out war on him. Kagome, still just a baby, was taken away by her father who declared he would not allow their fighting to kill his daughter like it had killed his wife. He cut all ties with them saying that if they couldn't resolve their differences peacefully they'd have no contact with their niece. As you can guess… they never did resolve it. To be fair it was mostly the older brother causing the problems. He refused to accept that his younger brother had been chosen over him and created havoc. The younger brother could only take so much."_

_There was a pause and Mika spoke again._

_"The brothers' war continued through their descendants, never really ending. The older brother's descendants became known as the Uchiha Clan, while the younger brother's descendants became known as the Senju Clan."_

_Mika's eyes twinkled as she watched Omega connect the dots._

_"Then Sasuke is…" She muttered._

_Mika nodded "Along with his brother Itachi they are one of the very few remaining descendants of the older brother. Also, you'd be surprised to know that Kurama's jinchuriki – Naruto – is a member of the Uzumaki Clan who are distant blood relatives of the Senju Clan."_

_Omega's mouth twitched and she thought **'Well that might explain why they bicker all the time, its genetics!'**_

_Mika laughed having overheard the girl's thoughts and said "You have a point my child." The demon sobered after a moment and added. "Let's hope that bickering is all they'll do."_

_A chill went down Omega's spine; to ward off the bad feeling she asked Mika another question._

_"What does this have to do with what you were saying about my mother?"_

_"Omega…Mika's daughter, Kagome, grew up and had a daughter of her own who, once grown, had her own daughter. They all had me inside them, the Inner Fire and possessed the Spark to keep the Fire burning…until a descendant died in childbirth like Miwa. This left her daughter with no knowledge of me and when I attempted to make contact she grew frightened and shut me out, smothering her Spark. It wasn't until her great-granddaughter, Momo, was born that I truly became active again."_

_Omega felt herself getting lightheaded "Are you saying that…I'm Miwa's descendant? That I have the blood of the Sage of the Six Paths in me?"_

_Mika nodded "You are Miwa's only descendant Omega, after I fused with her, it became that her bloodline could only be composed entirely of daughters. Each of your ancestors was capable of bearing a single healthy child – a girl child – a single bloodline."_

_Reeling from this information Omega tried to collect herself._

_"But why did sensing Lord Shukaku and Lord Kurama's chakra make you speak?"_

_Mika's eyes narrowed again "Shukaku and Kurama never got along very well. Shukaku resented Kurama for deciding that the number of tails ranked their powers. This belief meant that Shukaku was the weakest while Kurama was the strongest."_

_"What about you? I mean the number of your tails is always changing. The highest number you've gotten to is ten." Omega pointed._

_Mika smiled serenely her tails – currently seven – swaying back and forth._

_"I am the weakest and the strongest – the youngest and the eldest. I came before the other Tailed Beast and I came after them. I don't have a rank because that does not matter – it has nothing to do with my purpose."_

_"Which is…?" Omega asked as a feeling of calm sweeping over her, a feeling of comfort and warmth radiating from Mika._

_"To keep my family together – to guard them, my child, when all the other Tailed Beast fight amongst themselves, when they are imprisoned time and time again by the humans and consumed with hatred for humanity I am all that remains of their better halves, the last truly free Tailed Beast. I am life, love, peace, harmony and Home. I am Sanctuary. I am the Heart. I am the last Light." Mika said calmly and with such conviction Omega felt her respect for the Beast grow._

_Another pause followed this one solemn._

_"What does this have to do with me, why are you telling me all of this?" The half demon asked._

_"You are my vessel Omega, just as your mother and all those who came before you, even those who rejected me. What I am to the Tailed Beast you are to the jinchuriki. Just as I kept peace between my siblings before and after the Sage's death it is your responsibility to keep peace between jinchuriki. We are the Heart Omega, we are the last Light." Mika's eyes softened as she added. "And most of all, to the jinchuriki you will be Sanctuary…you will be Home. And when this generation passes I will remain as always and, you, Omega, like your mother before you will be the last Jinchuriki. The last to fall."_

_"So…basically I have to make sure Gaara and Naruto don't kill each other?" Omega asked, feeling the heavy responsibility start to weigh down on her and trying to lighten it a bit with humor.  
_

_Mika snorted with laughter, understanding as usual, and said "Yes my little one, that and keep the peace between them. Though…that Naruto has a very friendly personality, you may not need to help them befriend one another. Still, it is best that we keep a close eye on Shukaku. He may be insane but he's also very cunning. It's a mistake to underestimate him."_

_"I understand." Omega said, feeling repetitive._

_One of Mika's ears twitched and her eyes glazed over, they widened and she smiled nervously._

_"Oh my, it seems that I wasn't paying enough attention to what was going on outside."_

_Omega shot to her feet, remembering what had happened the last time Mika had forgotten to check out what was going on in the outside world._

_"What happened?" She asked, alarmed._

_"It seems Naruto was swallowed by the giant snake." Mika admitted sheepishly._

_"The giant snake! What giant snake!?" Omega cried out._

_"Oh…after you hit that tree branch and I pulled you in for this talk…Naruto was attacked…and…swallowed by it." Mika said with embarrassment._

_"Then what are you waiting for!? Let me go! I need to save him!" Omega shouted._

_"Yes, of course, we will talk again at a…more convenient time." Mika said. The flaming snow turned into a blizzard making Omega vision go white…._

* * *

Omega's eyes snapped open, feeling herself being held by something she looked up and came face to face with the giant snake. She could also faintly hear Naruto's shouting and screaming from inside the snake.

_'Shit!'_ Omega thought and unleashed her Fire.

The Snake saw that his capture had regained consciousness and quit his investigation of her strange scent immediately attempting to devour her. But Omega could not be beaten that easily.

"Back off!" She shouted, letting her body be engulfed in the blue flames.

The Snake screamed in agony and let her go, putting all its effort into getting away from her.

"Naruto! Naruto can you hear me? I'll get you out of there!" Omega cried out as she landed.

"Don't worry Omega! I can handle this! Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

The Snake's middle began to expand and Omega, realizing what was happening jumped onto a branch in the tree above just as the snake exploded.

Slime covered a good portion of the ground and multiple Narutos were gagging and spitting out said slime. Others made futile attempts to wipe the slim out of their jackets.

One Naruto, who Omega realized was the real one, was talking.

"Sorry but you picked the wrong shinobi! I'm gonna be Hokage someday. If you think I'm gonna end up a pile of snake waste in the woods you're crazy!"

Discarding the question of who he was talking to Omega leaped down and ran to her teammate.

"Are you alright!?" She asked.

"Yep, believe it!" The jinchuriki said cheerfully while his clones disbursed.

Omega smiled "Good, then let's go find Sasuke and Sakura!"

**XXX**

The two arrived in time to see the Grass Ninja emerging from the body of a huge slain snake, which was bigger than the one that had swallowed Naruto.

"I sense your fear and desperation. Its only natural, the prey must never let down its guard, not even for a moment…in the presence of its predator!" The Grass Ninja said with morbid pleasure and like a snake, his body stretched around the trunk of Sasuke's tree, heading straight for the Uchiha.

_'His bloodlust is enormous!'_ Omega thought as Naruto threw some shuriken and kunai that landed right in front of the enemy, stopping him in his 'tracks'.

"Looks like we came just in time!" Naruto said loudly and everyone looked his direction. Seeing the ninja standing on the branch with his arms crossed over his chest and Omega, crouched down on one knee, by his side.

"Naruto! Omega!" Sakura cried out with relief.

"Oh and by the way, what was that password again?" The jinchuriki said.

"Forget it; I know it's you and Omega. You two made it." Sakura said.

"Both of you get out of here! You have no idea what we're up against! Hurry, go now!" Sasuke shouted, his red eyes panicked.

"Omega frowned _'He's really shaken up.'_

"Well Naruto, Omega, you two managed to escape from my little friend. Well done." The Grass Ninja said.

_'So he **sent** the snake.'_ The half demon realized and saw Naruto come to the same conclusion.

"Okay, okay, I don't know what's going on here, but you've been picking on my friends and I don't like that. So you better crawl back into your hole snake guy before I make a pair of shoes out of you!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke growled with annoyance and appeared to be frantically thinking. Then his eyes dimmed to black, and he offered the Grass Ninja the team's scroll.

Omega inhaled sharply.

Naruto shouted angrily at his teammate but Sasuke told him to shut up.

The Grass Ninja agreed to the exchange.

Sasuke prepared to toss the scroll to him when Omega suddenly appeared in front of him and snatched it out of his hand. Before Sasuke could demand to know what she was doing the half demon promptly kneed the Uchiha in the stomach. He gasped and fell to his knees, clutching his middle.

"Sasuke!" Sakura shouted.

"We are not handing the scroll over." Omega said with a finality that dared Sasuke to protest. If he were anyone else he would have submitted to her will.

But since he was Sasuke he didn't.

"You idiot! You'll get us all killed!" He shouted.

"And you won't? Please, it's obvious – to me at least – that this bastard has no intention of letting us live for whatever demented reason, even if we do give him the scroll." Omega snapped.

"You don't understand! This guy…he's…" She interrupted him.

"Yes, the half demon whose been hunted by demons for most of her life and tortured for a year by a human can't understand what it's like to face someone who can kill you with little to no effort if he wanted to, of course I have no idea what you're feeling!" Omega said, sarcasm dripping venomously from her words.

Before Sasuke come speak again Naruto landed in front of him and punched him in the face. The force sent him hurling backwards and he landed on another branch.

"You say we don't understand, but it's clear to me. You've choked that's what it is!" The blonde shouted at the stunned Uchiha.

"Sad but true." The Grass Ninja said getting to his feet. He pulled his sleeve upward and added causally "As far as the scroll goes I can simply kill you and take it." The ninja bit his thumb so that his blood could come out and smeared a line of blood on the tattoos of his arm.

"Then let's see you try it!" Naruto shouted, drawing a kunai and running straight for the enemy.

"Naruto no! Stop!" Sasuke shouted.

Omega cursed and ran after the blonde.

The Grass Ninja smiled eerily and said words that made Omega's blood freeze.

"Summoning Jutsu."

* * *

**Hoped you enjoyed it and Happy Halloween!**

**I wish you great Trick-or-Treating (in other words, heaps of candy!),**

_**Snowlily246**_


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